Ink

Why is this world is so appealing? I suspect that heavily inked people are not so much rebelling, as embracing the fact that they never fitted comfortably into everyday society anyway. Maybe I shouldn't have read The Electric Michaelangelo, realised that even the most menacing symbols are part of a rich and old language, most representing tolerance, love and a wry appreciation of life and death. Southern Ink Xposure, the fourth Cape Town International Tattoo Convention, also reminded me that this is a community devoted to aesthetics and body appreciation, and despite a hot and crowded venue with an all day bar, full of happily different couples, families and friends, and far more genuinely, warmly well mannered than the book-sale patrons I encountered that morning.

Milo Marcer (Mr Lucky Tattoos, Cape Town) drawing on a design.

Hipster girl being tattood by Ross Turpin of Star Crossed Tattoo (Hong Kong). In case you're wondering, her right arm says 'ARISE AND SHINE. Your Light Has Come.'

Rosana aka Dermadonna (Amsterdam)

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

These batshit crazy girls were doing all kinds of upside down, hanging from insecure-looking foothold, mid-air flick-flacks five metres above a tiled concrete floor. Some serious muscle suggests that their careless grace was based on a lot of practice, but I was still relieved when it was over.

   

   

   

   

Tattoo-related art appreciators

I didn't actually check what this stall was all about but from the hat I'm assuming it's Manic Panic of NYC, purveyors of hair colours unlikely to be available at your local salon.

Yes ladies, Cape Town really is full of men that look like this.

   

   

Skulls and spikes and chains fall in love just like everyone else. Well, as long as you also like skulls and spikes and chains. And black. And maybe classical music. He has the long right hand fingernails of a guitarist.

Proudly Cape Town - African penguin, King Protea, sea, Table Mountain et al. I think it's bloody awesome and graphic just like that, but apparently the colouring still has to be done.

   

   

black velvet

Look at her, freshly moulted, resplendent in her blue-black coat, and completely living up to the name Velvet Spider. Such a shy little thing, all 1cm of her gazing cautiously at me through those four eyes. As our porch was recently rendered unsafe by vigorous cleaning, especially for a soft and recently moulted mommy with eggs, I gently relocated her to a wild rockery further down in the garden.

Sea Point you biscuit.

I've been married to Cape Town for 41 years. I know that when she's moody and cantankerous down south, chances are my schizo love is all sunny and smiley on the other side. And at nearly 8pm, when the sun is dropping low, and the air smells like liquid sea, and everyone, young and old, is holding hands and smiling, it's easy to believe that this is the best city on the planet.

Ten minutes later a young black dude walked down the stairs 5m away wearing the exact same tackies in red. Go Sea Point.

He's wearing slip-slops and not particularly sexy board shorts, she's in platforms, and a black dress that barely covers her ass, and smoking a cigarette. They're taking their shopping home via the promenade.  Sweet heaven. I hope they are as happy as they are beautiful.

The only problem with Sea Point. Way too cold to actually get in the water, 

I bet they've been married a lifetime. And still blatantly in love.

And the most beautiful woman in Sea Point prize goes to....

The promenade is all about health. Mental health mostly, but there's plenty of physical health too.

Rosie said it is nice skew. It does add a certain tension that I like, so it stays. I was probably trying for a sneaky from-the-hip shot. I certainly don't remember deliberately trying for this shot.

Mmm. You should see it with a straight horizon and bigger than a shitty 600 pixel wide blog pic. That rocky bit is quite special.

Awesome. Tattoos as clothes. And not just any tattoos, The Very, Very Best. I'd love to know her story. Bet that was a bike accident. Why do I have a horrible suspicion this is me in a few years (preferably minus the crutches). I'm mostly worried about the cost, good ink can't be cheap.

Sigh

I shot 6 more. It was hard to choose.

So. Fucking. Cute.

Also cute, but in a completely different way.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The show is over. Until tomorrow.

P.S. and screw you Blogger for mis-aligning my left aligned pics AGAIN. I'll sort out the HTML some other time.