By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Friday, January 12th, the Centro de Convenções SulAmérica, in Centro, will host the sixth edition of Tattoo Week Rio. The biggest tattoo and body piercing event in Latin America will gather approximately 1,000 tattoo artists and diverse cultural activities, like shows, a film exhibition and a poetry battle.
The event happens from 1PM to 10PM all weekend through Sunday, January 14th, and hopes to attract over 40,000 people. All the tattoo artists at Tattoo Week Rio will be participating in a contest, which is divided in 26 different categories. The best artist of the event will win a trip to Piza’s tattoo convention, in Italy.
What’s more, this Tattoo Week Rio’s edition will host the Fourth Big Rio Skate Freestyle, a freestyle skateboarding championship that will happen every day of event, from 2PM to 8PM. Organized by skater and producer Tai Tai since 2015, the Big Rio Skate Freestyle is considered the biggest freestyle skateboarding tournament in Brasil.
Some of the most important names from the skateboarding scene will be present at Big Rio Skate Freestyle, like the German Gunter Mokulys, world champion for eleven times; Feliz Jonsson, Swedish skater, considered one of the top 10 in the world; and Cristobal Bahamonde, Chilean known as one the best amateur skaters.
The parallel line-up of Tattoo Week Rio already starts on Friday, January 12th, with a poetry battle run by rapper Negra Re, from 4PM to 6PM. Following, musicians Rodrigo Orelha (vocal), Flávio Pingarrilho (bass), Eddy Helderson (guitar), Sérgio Nacife (drums) and Otávio Contopoulos (guitar) will pay a tribute to Charlie Brown Jr., former Brazilian rock band from Santos, São Paulo. Starting at 7:30 PM, the show will bring the 20 greatest hits of Charlie Brown Jr.
On Saturday, January 13th, and Sunday, January 14th, from 2PM to 8PM, Tattoo Week Rio will promote the Focus Tattoo Cine, an independent film festival focused in the tattoo scene. Among the productions to be exhibited is “Jun Matsui”, directed by Andre Ferezini, which portrays the professional path of renowned Brazilian tattooer Jun Matsui, from São Paulo.
The event will also include a Miss Tattoo beauty contest, which will happen on Saturday, January 13th, at 5PM. Organized in partnership with the Women’s Police Station from Rio (DEAM), the contest stands up for the women’s civil rights and against beauty standards and violence. The 33 participant candidates will compete in four different categories: Pin Up, Body Modification, Beach and Plus Size.
Closing the cultural attractions on Sunday, January 14th, will be the Tattoo Week Rap, which will gather MCs from KGL, a traditional rap circle from Glória, Catete and Lapa, to improvise verses to the audience at 8PM.
What: Tattoo Week Rio 2018
When: January 12th to January 14th – 1PM to 10PM
Where: Centro de Convenções SulAmérica
Entrance: R$25 – R$50