The Metro Toronto Convention Centre buzzed with the sound of tattoo needles from Thursday to Sunday, as artists and fans gathered for the Toronto Tattoo Show NIX 2024. Touted as one of the world’s largest tattoo conventions, the event attracted thousands eager to see diverse designs, compete in contests, and get tattoos.
Organizer Dan Allaston, 62, has been involved since 2019 but noted the show’s roots go back to 1998 in Collingwood. Initially, the goal was to demonstrate that tattoos are a form of art, moving away from the perception of them as “primitive old sailor tattoos.” Now, with tattoos more popular, the focus is on showcasing their artistic aspects.
Artists came from across Canada and countries like Sweden, Norway, France, Italy, England, Korea, China, and South America. Attendees of various ages, genders, and ethnicities got tattoos to commemorate milestones, add to their body art, or simply on a whim.
Allaston highlighted the collaboration with Toronto Public Health to ensure safety, with over 400 tattooists inspected and registered. Attendees wanting tattoos filled out waivers and received wristbands before approaching available artists.
Gavin Cunningham, 28, from Belleville, got one of Odin’s ravens, Munin, tattooed on his upper left arm. An active member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Cunningham said the Norse mythology tattoo complements his right arm, which features Greek gods Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, and Medusa.
The convention featured a range of tattoo styles, including realism, fine lines, Neo traditional, minimalist, and blackwork. Mississauga resident Kassie Duffus, 28, got a key-chain Kuromi on her right shin, adding to her collection of powerful female characters like Harley Quinn and Bulma.
The event also included music, merchandise, and tattoo supplies. Contests judged by tattooists spanned categories such as “Tattoo of the Day,” “Best Arm Sleeve,” and “Best Back or Front.”
Jaden Bainbridge, 29, from Ottawa, spent 24 hours over three days getting a large design on his right leg. Tattoo artists Anthony Charbonneau from Ottawa and Anthony Lara from Florida worked simultaneously on Bainbridge’s leg for the “Tattoo of the Show” contest.
Montreal tattoo artists and friends Dominique Guy, 43, and Marie-Lou Gauthier, 45, shared a personal moment at the convention. Gauthier tattooed an envelope with “AMOR” and two swallows on Guy, who recently got divorced after 23 years. Guy sees it as a symbol of finding love again.
For Allaston, seeing 4,000 to 5,000 attendees this year signifies the industry’s growth. Reflecting on his career since the 1980s, he remarked, “This was once an outsider art. Now, the new generation of artists amazes us. That’s the mark of success: leaving the industry better than you found it.”