Marking a milestone or motivating themselves: Hongkongers a tattoo convention explain why they got inked

Hong Kong Free Press

By Ayesha Sitara

People get inked for many reasons – to celebrate a milestone, for power and strength, to fight climate change or body issues, to express no regrets, to motivate themselves.

Wa Jai who has many different dragons - fire, land, purple and white - inked on his body feels his tattoos represent the traditional Hong Kong style and spirit. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Wa Jai who has many different dragons – fire, land, purple and white – inked on his body feels his tattoos represent the traditional Hong Kong style and spirit. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Held since 2013, except for a brief hiatus during the pandemic era, the Hong Kong China International Tattoo Exhibition assembled tattoo artists and enthusiasts under the roof of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai from October 4-6.

Vicky, a part time lifeguard gets her first tattoo of olive leaves symbolising peace interspersed with waves to represent her love of watersports. In her youth she wasn’t permitted to get a tattoo but now that she is semi-retired she has the freedom to get a tattoo and one to tick off the bucket list. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Vicky, a part-time lifeguard, gets her first tattoo of olive leaves symbolising peace interspersed with waves to represent her love of water sports. In her youth, she wasn’t permitted to get a tattoo but now that she is semi-retired she has the freedom to tick getting a tattoo off the bucket list. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Those looking to add to their ink, or even get their first tattoo, could choose tattooists from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Hungary, Korea, France, Japan, Malaysia, Serbia, and beyond, and explore varied styles.

HKFP was there, too, to ask a simple question: “Why did you get inked?”

Stone is a tattooist in Shenzhen and his reason for getting inked is to stand out from the crowd and be different. His first tattoo was a skateboard as he was a skater. Over the years he has added a lighthouse (hope), his daughter’s name, ‘you only live once’, 0516 - the telephone code of his birth city Xuzhou and many more. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Stone is a tattooist in Shenzhen, who said he got tattoos to stand out from the crowd and be different. His first tattoo was a skateboard as he was a skater. Over the years he has added a lighthouse, signifying hope, his daughter’s name, “you only live once,” and 0516 – the telephone code of his birth city Xuzhou, among many more. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Gigi from Hong Kong had her first tattoo ten years ago because she didn’t like herself. Since then she has covered her body with many tattoos and this has helped her love herself and feel confident. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Gigi from Hong Kong got her first tattoo 10 years ago because she didn’t like herself. Since then, she has covered her body with many tattoos, which have helped her love herself and feel confident. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Gareth works for a recycling company in Singapore and so his first tattoo represents his job - children racing against time to save the world from deforestation. He flew to Hong Kong especially for the convention to continue from a previous design done by tattooist Marko from Belgrade. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Gareth works for a recycling company in Singapore and so his first tattoo represents his job – children racing against time to save the world from deforestation. He flew to Hong Kong especially for the convention to continue from a previous design done by tattooist Marko from Belgrade. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Kelvin who works as an Italian chef shows off his first tattoo, a spaghetti twirled around a carving fork. The one on his chest which was most painful has a deep meaning of the need to sacrifice and not be controlled by money or power. - “Da mihi animas, cetera tolle” (give me souls, take everything else). Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Kelvin, who is a chef, shows off his first tattoo: spaghetti twirled around a carving fork. The one on his chest, which he said was most painful, has a deep meaning of the need to sacrifice and not be controlled by money or power. It reads: “Da mihi animas, cetera tolle,” or “give me souls, take everything else.” Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

A tattooist from Zumiism in South Korea displays important dates in his life on his fingers. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Phyllis & her husband got tattoos at the exhibition as a cute memory of their new born child. They wanted to get something that bonded with their daughter and one they would never regret. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Phyllis and her husband got tattoos at the exhibition as a cute commemoration of their new born child. They wanted to get something that connected them with their daughter and one they would never regret. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Three friends get similar tattoos of balloon poodles as a symbol of their solidarity. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Kenny quit smoking and drinking six months ago and his “Run hard” tattoo is a motivational mark to live a healthy life. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Kenny quit smoking and drinking six months ago. His “Run hard” tattoo is a motivational mark to live a healthy life. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Chris from Hong Kong started off with a tribal tattoo some ten years ago and despite the pain, he feels tattoos make him feel more handsome. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Chris from Hong Kong started off with a tribal tattoo some 10 years ago and despite the pain, he feels tattoos make him feel more handsome. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Yun from South Korea shows off a heavenly character Zhang Shun from a classic Chinese novel, Shui Hu Chan, or Water Margin, because the bigger it is he feels more power and strength. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Yun from South Korea shows off a heavenly character Zhang Shun from a classic Chinese novel, Shui Hu Chan, or Water Margin. The bigger it is, the more powerful and strong he feels. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Darwin from Hong Kong was looking for a Polynesian warrior spirit tattoo for years and when he learnt that Moanatoa from France would be at the exhibition he jumped at the opportunity. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Alan from The Philippines simply loved the geometric designs and has his zodiac sign tattooed on his arm. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Alan from The Philippines loves geometric designs and has his zodiac sign tattooed on his arm. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Power is the energy he derives from his tattoo for this participant from Wu Jian Tattoo in Tianjin. He won bronze in his category at a competition held during the tattoo exhibition. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — This participant from Wu Jian Tattoo in Tianjin in a competition at the exhibition derived power from his tattoos, and earned himself bronze in his category. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Jun Lim, a tattooist from South Korea got inked to gain trust because if he does not have tattoos on his body his clients may not trust his work. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Jun Lim, a tattooist from South Korea, got inked to gain trust, saying that if he did not have any tattoos, his clients may not trust his work. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

A tattooist sketches a design at the tattoo convention. For many tattooists who get inked themself, they say it is the creative expression that motivates them to be in the business. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Cseh Bettina a tattooist from Budapest, Hungary inks a client at the tattoo convention. She has been a tattooist for about five years and enjoys drawing realism and illustrative style tattoos. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — Cseh Bettina a tattooist from Budapest, Hungary inks a client at the tattoo convention. She has been a tattooist for about five years and enjoys drawing realist and illustrative-style tattoos. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Hugh from Hong Kong gets tattoos to have no regrets, to do what he wants, and do what he loves. At the exhibition, he tried a traditional hand poke tattoo from Malaysian tattooist, Chair. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

A participant from Korea has his body covered in tattoos. He won gold in his competition category at the Hong Kong China Tattoo Exhibition. Photo: Ayesha Sitara. — This man won gold in his competition category at the Hong Kong China Tattoo Exhibition. Photo: Ayesha Sitara.

Ayesha Sitara is a documentary photographer based in Hong Kong. She has published work in Gestalten, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The Hindu, HarpersCollins, Asia Times, SCMP and Wall to Wall Media UK (Documentaries), to name a few. She received honorable mention at the 19th Pollux Awards and her photos were exhibited at Fotonostrum Gallery in Barcelona. She is a member of Cathay Camera Club in Hong Kong and winner of its annual exhibition in 2022.

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