The highly anticipated collaboration of two major festivals in Thessaloniki, Thessalonink and Street Mode was held with great success. The result was an even greater celebration of tattoo art and street culture, which was also accessible and friendly to everyone.
Thousands of people of all ages, gathered at Warehouse C of Thessaloniki port, during September 4th, 5th and 6th, defying the heat and the transportation difficulties, which were due to the Thessaloniki International Fair.
The location that housed Thessalonink, meaning the tattoo studios' and the tattoo artists’ stands, the supplies, HeartbeatInk's stand and of course all the tattoo competitions, was the same great venue as last year - accessible to people with disabilities - with somewhat improved conditions (such as the air conditioning and the mini market which operated this year).
Street Mode festival as well as the competitions, the graffiti, the freerunning (parkour), the flatland BMX, the breakdance and the long awaited concerts took place outdoors and each day was "completed" in a very dynamic and enthusiastic way. Moreover, outside there was a DJ booth, food and drink kiosks, stands with clothes, other products and services - among them there was the Panthenols Tattoo stand with specialized tattoo aftercare products, Kira Don Jewel with her jewels, Wild Heart Creations with her clothing line, and Hairline Personal Company.
The concerts’ line up which consisted of Nightstalker, Imiskoubria, Anima Nation, Planet of Zeus, Vita Peis, Bad Movies, Mora sti Fotia, 12os Pithikos and Jaw Bones was undoubtedly really powerful and managed to find the right balance between rock and hip hop music. All bands that played live were exceptional, that even if we completed 14 hours of beeing at the festival each day, we forgot our expected fatigue...
On Saturday morning when we arrived at Warehouse C nobody was tattooing... Shortly afterwards George Mavridis announced from the microphone that there was a complaint from the NGO Pythagoras - which up to now we have no details, nor do we know who are behind this organization - for violating health regulations. The organizers showed calmness and took all legal actions that might be done to continue the tattooing in Thessalonink. On Saturday night the place was visited by Healthcare, which has encountered no violation, and as a result tattooing was practiced again on Sunday!
On Saturday evening for the award of the Best of Saturday people competed with tattoos drawn with markers instead on the day of "prohibition". The response was great from the tattoo artists, and despite this negative incident for the art of tattoo, unity and solidarity triumphed.
On Sunday night, between the competitions ‘Best of Show’ and ‘Best Artist by Visitors’, tattoo artist Kostas Baronis (Proki Tattoo) made an on stage marriage proposal to his girlfriend Nickoletta in a festive atmosphere! We wish them a happy wedding and a long lasting marriage.
Finally, our congratulations to George Mavridis, Giannis Efstathiouu, Fotis Lazos and Kostas Xanthopoulos for the excellent organization as well as their professionalism, and also to all the people that worked on the two festivals. See you again next year!
Words: Ino Mei.
Photos: Ino Mei, Vaggelis Xafinis, Panos Zigkiris.
Παρασκευή 4 Σεπτεμβρίου.
Σάββατο 5 Σεπτεμβρίου.
Κυριακή 6 Σεπτεμβρίου.
