It was in the early 90's when I was still studying advertising arts that i took interest in the alternative art movement called lowbrow art also known as pop surrealism it appealed to me because it did not fit comfortably into the accepted definition of art and one part of that movement was tattooing. I was the first one in my neighborhood in Caloocan City who introduce tattooing and I first did it manually by using a crudely made tattoo pen. I made it by asking some local folks in my hometown that was previously incarcerated on how to make one taking notes from them on how it should be done.
Tattooing manually is literally too bloody time consuming. To cut time i did some research with the help of a magazine called Tattoo that was bought at a Book Sale store I began looking for a better way on how to do tattoos faster by going electric thanks to my heavy amphetamine drug use back in the day I developed a MacGyver type tattoo gun using a dynamo taken out from a toy car, an antenna from an AM Transistor and needles soldered onto a galvanized wire and after a few misses from willing volunteers I began professionally tattooing people using Rotring Inks in exchange for a bottle of liquor and a bit of cash little did i know a young boy got interested in the art and inspired him to pursue the artform me however decided to let go off tattooing and pursue graphic design. Later that boy will become one of the respected, multi awarded and well known tattoo artist in my hometown establishing his shop called Killaokan Ink.
And now he had organized a tattoo competition that will fall a day earlier of Bonifacio's 152nd Birth Anniversary. The event will be a tribute to the first President and Father of the Revolution and the Filipino Nation called HIMAGSIKAN. The theme for this show will be a commemorative tattoo dedicated to the Supremo - Andres Bonifacio. The show will start at 12 noon, Saturday on November 28 and will be held at Bradzky Resto Bar located at 78 MacArthur Hiway near a well known brothel called Majestic and Andres Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City.
For 150 pesos you get to see a lot of tattoo artist in action plus loads of bands. Killaokan Ink's Himagsikan will feature two DJs to set you in the ink slinging mood namely NORRIS KING from France of Legal Shot Soundsystem and JOSEPH MINISTER of Manila's Move Up HiFi plus a great line up of bands featuring THROW, HARD K, JUN GENIUS & THE BRAINIACS, NO BRAKE FAST KID, BONIFACIO REPUBLIC, THE NEW PROPAGANDA, ISIDRO PROJECT & many more.
