- Title: CUBA: TATTOO FESTIVAL CELEBRATES BODY ART
- Date: 6th April 2004
- Summary: (L!3) HAVANA, CUBA (MARCH 31, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) TATTOO ARTISTS PAINTING TATTOO SAMPLES ON WALLS (4 SHOTS) LEG BEING TATTOOED (2 SHOTS = 9 SECS) WOMAN LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUNIOR TATTOO ARTIST, SAYING: "It's a living art that will always be alive, a gallery that walks , (an art) that doesn't have to be in a gallery." TATTOOS OF PAINTINGS BY CUBAN ARTISTS ON OLGA GURITERREZ'S THIGHS (2 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TATTOOED WOMAN OLGA GUTIERREZ, SAYING: "Tattoos are artistic. I can't be against that. It's art what we see on the street." HANDS PUTTING INK ON TATTOO ON PERSON'S BACK (5 SECS) MAN'S PIERCED TONGUE (5 SECS) TATTOOED BACK (5 SECS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TATTOO ARTIST AND EVENT ORGANIZER EVELIO, SAYING: "I don't think overall it's said that it's not marginal but it has changed. Now, on television, in some places they show tattoos, and not as vulgar as before." SPECTATORS LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF MEN AND WOMEN SHOWING THEIR TATTOOS (& PIERCINGS) (7 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 21st April 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City:
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVACPGC8OCU9BQ575GGRGZVFDUUZ
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Sporting tattoos and piercings, people flock to a festival in Havana celebrating body art.
A festival in Havana recently celebrated tattoos and body piercings.
Young people sporting elaborate tattoos and multiple piercings congregated at Havana's cultural center La Madriguera to celebrate what they refer to as 'body art.' "It's a living art that will always be alive," said the 35-year-old tattoo artist known simply as Junior, "a gallery that walks, (an art) that doesn't have to be in a gallery."
It wasn't just the young that paraded their tattoos.
Fifty-one-year-old librarian Olga Gutierrez showed off two tattoos on her thighs, images of two paintings by Cuban artists: "The Tropical Gitana" by Victor Manuel and "The Rapture of the Mulatas" by Carlos Enriquez.
Gutierrez, who said she was tattooed in honor of her son, defended the art she said had been subject to prejudice.
"Tattoos are artistic," said Gutierrez. "I can't be against that. It's art what we see on the street."
Gutierrez said she was inspired to get the tattoos after her 73-year-old mother had them done in honor of her grandson.
While organizers said tattoos were entering mainstream acceptability, some said piercings were not embraced as warmly.
"I don't think overall it's said that it's not marginal but it has changed," said tattoo artist and event organizer Evelio. "Now, on television, in some places they show tattoos, and not as vulgar as before."
Evelio hopes to organize the festival, currently in its second year, as an annual event in Havana. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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