The convention will be held in early November.
Björn Blumeier, a deaf tattoo artist from Berlin, Germany, will organise the 6th International Convention of Deaf Tattoo Artists to be held at Boogaloo in Zagreb from 2 to 4 November. The event will bring together 15 deaf tattoo artists from different countries who will demonstrate what they can do, reports Večernji List on October 23, 2018.
Deaf people have a particularly well-developed feel for working with their hands, and they can feel the music and vibrations and better concentrate on visual tattooing. All this was demonstrated in 2013 during the 1st International Convention of Deaf Tattoo Artists held in Berlin. The following years brought the event to Poland, Spain and England.
This year, Björn Blumeier has chosen Zagreb because it will make it easier for deaf artists from the territory of the former Yugoslavia to attend and have the opportunity to take part in the convention. Many deaf people simply cannot afford distant travel and expensive hotels. Likewise, deaf people are facing a communication barrier which means they cannot simply enter a tattoo salon and communicate their wishes. They interact with one another in the sign language, which gave birth to the idea of a tattoo convention for the deaf, where there will be no obstacle in communicating between deaf clients and tattoo artists. In Croatia, deaf people use the Croatian sign language, but most of them know the international sign language as well.
It is expected that Zagreb will welcome deaf tattoo artists from Japan, USA, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and many other countries. A three-day ticket that includes a party on Saturday night costs 20 euro. Visitors who can hear are also welcome and they will have an opportunity to be introduced to the world and the culture of the deaf. There will also be translators present who will ensure fluent communication.
More information can be found at www.deaf-tattoo.com.
Björn Blumeier was born in Berlin and has been organizing various international events for the deaf for more than 20 years, together with his twin brother Arne. They both speak the German sign language and the international sign language. They organise Miss & Mister Deaf Germany competition and the international beauty pageant “Miss & Mister Deaf Stars”. They also organize various protests for deaf rights.
The Blumeier brothers organise all of these events on a non-profit basis with the aim of drawing public attention and showing that deaf people can work as models, tattoo artists, dancers, actors, artists, professional athletes and more. They want to show that deaf people are not really disabled people. The deaf cannot hear, but they can do everything as well as people who can hear – write, drive, eat, fly, swim.
There are thousands of talented deaf people all over the world, but their talents are being ignored because of the obstacles in communication, and that is what Blumeier wants to change.
Translated from Večernji List.
