Been thinking of getting a tattoo but not sure where to go or what design to get?
Well you can get the chance to meet tattoo artists and enthusiasts from all over the world at the 2nd Sabah International Tattoo Convention.
The convention, happening from Oct 21 to 23 in Kota Kinabalu, will feature 66 tattoo artists from 20 countries. This includes a handful of artists from Malaysia like Shane Leong (Terengganu), Darren Wen and Pit Fun (Penang), Cliph Nevilleson, Taco Joe and Jim Losaria (Sabah) and Ernesto Kalum (Sarawak).
Organised by Koiyak Gloves, the three-day convention is set to showcase not just artwork by the artists but also various tattooing methods, including the more traditional needling styles that are still being practised today. At last year’s convention, booths featuring traditional Bornean and Buddhist sak yant tattoos drew many curious onlookers who were eager to learn more.
You can also get inked by any of the artists featured at the convention (for a fee, of course!). Among the renowned international artists who will be in KK are Mattia Maranggoni and Marco Leonie from Italy, Guy Le Tattoer from France, Nic Tse from Hong Kong, Jun Chihara from Japan, Christian Nguyen and Raphael Buhlman from Switzerland, Gino Angelov from Britain, Captain Wonderful from Austria, Joel Ang from Singapore, Jimmy Toge from Indonesia, and Rojan Shrestha from Nepal.
Also available is Carlos Benny Majakil from Malaysia, convention founder/organiser and owner of Koiyak Gloves, a local brand of non-powdered black latex gloves used by professional tattoo artists around the world.
Majakil and fellow artists Kalum, Leonie and Jimmy Wong (Thailand) are part of a jury that will be judging numerous contests during convention.
Other highlights to look out for include merchandise booths by brands such as Gado Gado, Mudboy, My Tattoo Supply, CapCity, Tajon and Koiyak Gloves; lucky draw for convention ticket holders; a booth from SPCA KK; as well as a Sabah-themed showcase featuring cultural performances and local delicacies.
There’s also a party happening on Oct 22 for ticket holders, featuring DJ Kidfresh from Germany and DJ Eva Love from Russia.
The 2nd Sabah International Tattoo Convention is officially endorsed by the Sabah Tourism Board. Sponsors include Tune Talk, Rockaway, Grab, Tiger, Johnnie Walker, Hitz FM, RipCurl, Bad Lab, CapCity, Omakase + Appreciate, Zinox Bar, Likas Flora, Mudboy, Poison
Brew, Tattoo Timepiece, My Tattoo Supply; while partners are North Borneo Bartender Brothers, Sarawak Bodyarts Association and Bologna Tattoo Expo by Marco Leoni. GrabCar is the official transport partner for the convention.
Tickets are RM50 per day and are available at the door. For more information and a full list of attending tattoo artists, check out the convention’s official website and Facebook page.
