The Big London Tattoo Show is the UK’s largest tattoo convention with 500 artists from across the globe hosting
their own mini tattoo booth within the Excel London. The tattoo industry is becoming the fifth largest growing retail sector in the world, projected to be worth over
2.4 billion USD worldwide. Last year, over 3,500 visitors were tattooed and 10,000 individuals attended over the course of the weekend.
This year the show is bringing together artists practicing a myriad of sacred tattoo crafts within their respective cultures, including
artist London Slade, skilled in Japanese traditional “tebori” carving. This is a method that manually pushes ink under the skin using needles attached to a long bamboo or steel rod.
Ate Wamz, uses the traditional Filipino “batok” tattoo technique. She works with tools crafted from ironwood by villagers and ink made from pine soot and other wood ashes blended with water from Mount Pulag, a sacred mountain that holds ancestors’ spirits.
Techniques such as “tebori” and “batok” were previously used to mark a collective tribe or clan and hold spiritual meaning for protection. In other cultures, tattooing can highlight historic life events and memories.
Initially a form of language, tattoos are a communication tool that pre-dates the spoken word. This year’s event will highlight the heritage
and history of the artform, along with celebrating modern techniques and advancement.
Additional artists include:
Thomas Carli Jarlier
is a pioneer in blending opaque grey and grey wash techniques in both realistic and abstract/realistic tattoo styles. His work closely resembles that of photography, winning him many awards and tattoo competitions. At the show he will be teaching a course
on Friday for tattoo artists that would like to learn from an extremely talented artist.
Martin Kubala (known as Kubalizmus)
is a fine art and tattoo artist who works with precision and detail. He focuses on the natural world in his art, reflected in his recent piece “From the Depths to Space,” which took half a year and roughly 700 hours to complete. The drawing goes into minuscule
details, from the smallest outline of plankton to the planets.
Jonny Ransom
brings his blackout tattoos (made popular by Lionel Messi, Machine Gun Kelly and Kat Von D) to this year’s event. Blackout tattoos involve colouring of large section of skin, that can cover up unwanted tattoos and can incorporate use of negative skin to
form striking geometric shapes and mandalas.
Anthony Lennox designs large tattoos featuring impactful colour, and the surrealist technique. At the show he will collaborate with another artist
on one tattoo, a collaboration usually only reserved for expert tattoo artists, to work together mixing different styles and art. The tattoo will create a unique design from two different techniques.
David Corden
has been a tattoo artist for over 20 years and creates extremely realistic portraits and images. Using colour and shading, he draws lifelike characters that look like portrait photos on the skin.
Carter Hewlett
is a London based artist who creates shiny, metallic chrome tattoos, a futuristic take on tattooing.
Artist Friday, will kick off the three-day event. Artists will be able to connect with peers and further their education
through artist-to-artist seminars on technical skills and business skills. Later that day, the event opens to the public and carries a discount for students (with a valid student ID) giving an opportunity to welcome a whole new generation into the community.
In addition to the incredible artistry, the Big London Tattoo Show will welcome performers taking the main stage, such as the
Fuel Girls, performing with fire spears and dancing through flames. Other performances will include dance, gymnastics, and acrobatics. The stage will be located next to a variety of food trucks and, returning to this year’s show, the converted double
decker bus, turned into a bar.
Over the weekend, there will be a tattoo competition, awarding prizes for a variety of tattoos and designs created at the show. There
are art battles, graffiti exhibitions, BMX biking, and games, making the show entertaining for all guests.
Martin McIver, Festival Director says:
“Every tattoo has a story, and that’s what we are here to celebrate. Reaching a fifth anniversary is no small feat for a live event of this magnitude. We’re welcoming over 500 artists from across the globe, thousands of attendees and filling 14,000 square
metres at the Excel. Each artist brings their own traditions and techniques, carrying those cultures right into the heart of London. Seeing historic tattooing methods sit alongside the skill of today’s artists shows just how diverse and collaborative this
community has become. And you don’t need a tattoo to appreciate the art form. Whether you’re covered head to toe or simply curious, we welcome everyone to experience the biggest tattoo art event in the UK.”
Jess Maciel, Commercial Manager says:
“London has always been one of the world’s most influential tattoo cities, and this year’s show will be our biggest. We’re bringing together an incredible lineup of international artists, industry leaders, and tattoo enthusiasts for a weekend that celebrates
creativity, craftsmanship, and the culture that connects us all. Whether you’re getting tattooed, meeting your favourite artists, or simply experiencing the energy of the community, this is an event you won’t want to miss.”
