Tattoos – body art or burden? Defining the Gold Coast tattoo culture.

Ben Glancy is everything you would want in a tattoo artist. He is focused, not very chatty and has a tasteful display of tattoos on himself (complete with sleeves, fingers, neck and calves). The latest season of the popular American reality show Miami Ink is playing in the background and the shop is covered in pictures of previous works lining the walls. A potential client has thousands of designs and clearly labelled folders to mull over while waiting for his/her turn.

Barely looking up, Ben motioned me to sit. He was apologetic about the delay but even I could see he had more important matters to attend to. Forgetting me for the moment, brows furrowed, he got back to the 20 something-year-old lying on his side patiently surrendering himself to the not-so-gentle pricking of Ben’s tattoo machine.

The Gold Coast is known for its tattoo culture. It is as common as thongs and surf shorts. You know this because you will find at least one tattoo parlour in every major suburb. And if you’re in the heart of Surfers Paradise you will bump into one whether you intend to or not.

Tattoos have always been associated with prisoners, bikers or just plain trouble. A decade ago or even in the last five years tattoos were not so common. According to the 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey about 10 per cent of the total population in Australia had tattoos.

But times have changed and people, especially on the Gold Coast, are now more open to getting visible tattoos that would otherwise have been taboo. These days tattoo artists estimate at least one-third of their clientele to be over 50 years of age.
An hour and a half later, taking a quick break in between clients and whilst chugging a Red Bull Ben exclaims, “i have tattooed more girls than boys in the past two years that I’ve been doing this. The younger generation who come in are not worried about getting visible tattoos, they just go nuts and get neck tattoos and arm tattoos and crazy designs”.

A study conducted by Northwestern University in 2004 showed that 50 percent of people with tattoos have them located on an exposed part of their body.
While some employers in more creative fields see body art as self-expression, many others in the corporate world or in the hospitality and retail industries can be less tolerant. After all, companies are worried about their image and also prefer taking precautionary measures so their employees’ visible tattoos or piercings are not offensive to any of their clients.

Benny Doyle, 27, and Aaron Aldridge, 20, live and work in the Gold Coast. They both feel employers in the hospitality industry are not open to visible tattoos.
Benny had one such experience when complete disclosure about his tattoos in an interview lost him the job. Now he prefers to stay mum about his tattoos until he has secured employment and then prefers working with his employer to better suit the company policy.

On landing a job at the posh Palazzo Versache Hotel on the Gold Coast, Benny was asked to cover his tattoos to not offend any of the clientele. After working at the Versache for over a year, it was only last May that Benny and the rest of the staff were told they would no longer need to cover their tattoos. The new general manager is more understanding towards body art and incidentally this change has gone down well with the clients. Benny even goes so far as to say that he has gotten into great conversations about his tattoos and even gets better tips now.

With tattoos ranging from an angel holding a baby to represent his mum and him on his left bicep to the name of his german shepherd on his foot and a panther with wings on his calf, Aaron believes that how you dress for an interview ultimately determines whether you will get a job or not. He does not disclose any information about his tattoos but tries and covers up as many as he can for an interview. Having worked as a bartender, he has found that while some places are ok with his tattoos, the Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast in particular have full-sleeve uniforms strictly for this purpose.

Despite the few issues with employment and having travelled extensively, they both feel that the Gold Coast is more open-minded to the tattoo culture. Due to the difference in weather conditions in places like Europe, Benny and Aaron feel that you don’t get to see a whole lot of tattoos in these places. On the sunny Gold Coast, tattoos are more in your face with people hanging around in tank tops and shorts. Of course the downside of this is, if you are heavily tattooed, you are bound to be shot with curious or judgemental glances. While tattoos also tend to help near strangers strike up conversations, Aaron finds it annoying to have to constantly explain his 26 odd tattoos when approached by friends or even random strangers and doesn’t see a reason why it’s such a big deal.

Opposition towards tattoos may come in many forms – employers, partners and even parents. While disagreement with a parent never really stops the younger generation from doing anything, it is still a topic of great anxiety for parents. Not knowing what your child is going to get permanently tattooed on his/her body is something most parents dread.

Aaron’s mum is thankful that he does not have violent images of demons and skulls inked on his body though she still dislikes body art and avoids the subject with her son. Aaron has approximately 66 hours worth of tattoos on his body. He is proud that they are all symbolic of significant events in his life. His tattoos are a reflection of his love for nature, his attachment towards his family, his beliefs and his dreams. He looks forward to getting more work done and takes a keen initiative in going for tattoo conventions on the Gold Coast immersing himself completely into the tattoo culture. Even his fiancé Tayla has her leg done.

However, a survey conducted by Australian survey company UMR Research Ltd. in 2010 revealed that 55 per cent of Australians considered people of the opposite sex less attractive if they had a tattoo. The article also discovered that young women are now the demographic most likely to get inked. Woman are becoming bolder and are moving away from the stereotypical butterfly and rose tattoos and are not afraid to explore less feminie designs.

According to Ben Glancy older women know what they want and have their minds set on their tattoos while the younger generation is more willing to explore free-hand designs and are keen on trying something new.

Due to the growing interest and acceptance of tattoos on the Gold Coast, the Surf n’ Ink – International Tattoo Convention took place at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in January 2010 and plans on making a comeback in 2011. The event drew in around 8000 visitors in January and expects a bigger crowd next year. The convention showcased international and famous Australian tattoo artists giving individuals the opportunity to exchange forms of art, culture and traditions.

Such opportunities on the Gold Coast are a good way to open up peoples notions about body art and also educate them on the different types of tattoos and options that are out there.

A huge area of concern regarding tattoos seems to be the fact that they are permanent and sometimes the art you may like at 19 may not be the same you would enjoy at 50. Regret towards tattoos also arises in instances when someone tattoos a former lovers name or writes in a foreign language that originally means something else. The only option left in such cases is laser removal or a cover-up tattoo.

In a former interview for a local newspaper, Dr Terence Poon of the Neutral Bay Laser and Dermatology Clinic stated that up to 10 sessions are required to remove a tattoo and a local anaesthetic is required each time as the process is very painful. Benny Doyle on the other hand believes that tattoos are like snapshots of who you are. And while you may not believe in a lot of the same stuff later on in life, it is still reminiscent of a different or even difficult stage you have been through and so it’s a complete win-win situation.

Tattoos are a growing trend especially on the Gold Coast. While various tattoo parlours battle it out with incentives, package deals and lower rates it is a tattoo lovers haven. From a customer’s perspective there is no dearth of good artists and art work to choose from.

Places like South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and India are less open to tattoos than the western world. 32-year-old Gary Canepa from South Africa has been living on the Gold Coast for the last two years. He has gotten the majority of his tattoos in the UK and his most recent neck tattoo in Bali. From his own experience he says that tattoos are frowned upon back home while he has found it to be more common on the Gold Coast.

Recent events like the Perth Tattoo Carnival and the Miss Tattoo Australia Pageant are just what the Australian tattoo culture needs to give it a boost.

Irrespective of the world view, tattoos have now become more mainstream and are visible on celebrities, sportsmen and musicians alike. This also means that the world at large and the Gold Coast in specific can no longer ignore this phenomenon or attribute it solely to rebelliousness. The permanent nature of a tattoo emphasises that it is here to stay. So the next time you encounter someone with an intricate arm tattoo or a bold neck piece, smile – it just might be all the inspiration you need to get inked.