Southern Ink Xposure - the biggest tattoo event in the southern hemisphere, is only three short weeks away from opening its doors and organisers are promising another world class event celebrating global tattoo culture.

Continuing to raise the bar of a world class, week-long event that celebrates all that is good about global tattoo culture in a uniquely South African setting, the fourth Southern Ink Xposure tattoo convention will open its doors to Cape Town on January 24^th, 2012.

Kicking off the week-long celebration of the ancient art of tattooing, the fourth Cape Town International Tattoo Convention will launch with the opening of three exciting art exhibitions a The Loft Studios, Bree Street.

Body Of Work­­ – a mixed-media exhibition that explores and reinterprets the tattoo (and in particular, traditional tattoo motifs) as a contemporary art form.

Helmets – some of the country’s best tattoo artists have added their art to some custom-designed motorcycle helmets. These one-of-a-kind artworks will be auctioned after the convention with all proceeds going to a chosen charity.

Tattoo-themed Putt-Putt course – an art installation that has taken the concept of the traditional miniature golf course and turned it on its head. Each uniquely conceived and constructed hole on this functional Putt-Putt course carries its own “old school” tattoo theme. Themes such as “True Love”, “Mexican Skull”, “Man’s Ruin”, sailor tattoos and others will feature. 

For the remainder of the weekend, the Cape Town International Tattoo Convention will again give thousands of South Africans and travellers from abroad the opportunity to get inked by some of the world’s most in-demand tattoo artists, at a hygienic, safe, friendly and entertainment-filled event. 70 booths, 20 vendors, floor shows featuring Burlesque dancing, acrobatic displays, sword-swallowing, live music and more, the Putt-Putt course, and a few more special surprises besides, will keep the curious and the tattoo-hungry completely entertained while the artists get down to work.

 Making this event the biggest international tattoo convention on the continent, tattoo artists from some fifteen different countries this year, among them the USA, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Argentina, Kenya, Canada, with a strong showing of our own South African talent, will be in attendance amounting to almost 100 artists in total!

Attendees can look forward to thrilling in the artworks of big-name tattoo legends such as Robert Hernandez (Sp), La Astrid (Nor), Benjamin Moss (US), , Manuela Gray (SA), Jay Jay (SWE), Rev. Simon White (SA), Joe Johns (USA), Tyler Murphy (SA), Milo Marcer (SA), Derek Baker (SA), Gordon Claus (Ger), (SA), Laura Juan (SP), Thomas Alvarado (US) and Tom Yak (US).

Being more than “just a tattoo convention”, S.I.X 2012 aims to again paint the town in multi-chromatic hues with art exhibitions and live music events storming different and diverse venues across the city.

Johannesburg rock kings the Shadowclub will be holding stage at The Assembly (Saturday 28^th) in a bid for “Death Or Glory”, playing alongside aKING, Dead Lucky and The Pits. One lucky party goer will take home a Fender guitar courtesy of Paul Bothner Music.

On Friday night, bands The Great Apes, Wolftown, and rockabilly rousers Them Tornados will further add to the soundtrack of what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of good music, and awesome tattoos at the Hold Fast party staged at the Harley-Davidson clubhouse in Zonnebloem.

Tickets are available for either the full weekend (R250 p/p) or on a single day pass (R100 P/P), available from Computicket outlets and at the following tattoo parlours in Cape Town: Wildfire Tattoos (Long Street & Canal Walk); Metal Machine (city); Sins of Style (city); Mob Inc Tattoo Bistro (Sea Point); Body Architects (Claremont)!

The events’ Twitter and Facebook groups and pages will be keeping fans up to date with the latest developments and additions in the lead up to, and during,  the convention opening. 

The convention’s website www.capetattooconvention.co.za also contains a wealth of information for those looking to book their next tattoo, or merely find out who, where, what and why.

The convention opening hours will be:

Friday 27 January: 5pm –11pm.

Saturday 28 January: 11am – 10pm.

Sunday 29 January: 12pm – 8pm.