The Body Art Expo In Scottsdale Brings Fresh Tattoos and Extreme Shows (2024)

Hundreds of tattoo collectors and artists will connect at WestWorld in Scottsdale on October 21 through 23. It's the three-day Body Art Expo, a gigantic skin show-off party where tattoo artists, piercers, and extreme performers from around Arizona and other parts of the U.S. will trek into the event and set up shop. Metro Phoenix tattoo collectors have their choice to get inked by world-renowned inkers and piercers and have over 200 artists to select from.

Smiley Ink Tattoos from Mesa is one of the shops that will set up at the three-day exposition."These shows are really fun for us to do because we get to compete with other locals and out-of-state artists," says Jeanneth Valenzuela, wife of the owner.

Big Sleeps Studio, MagicTattoos, and Piercings_by_Cepha, all from California, are confirmed to set up at the expo. On Friday, @savingprivate_rhyan, also from Cali, will provide a paint-on-canvas seminar.

Since 2003, the self-proclaimed world's largest tattoo expo has been known for its tattoo contests and awarding the winners with giant medallions or trophies. At WestWorld, there will be tattoo contests throughout the three days where professional tattoo-industry folks will judge tattoos and collections. There's a $10 registration fee to enter.

Valenzuela continues, "Smiley and Daniel [another artist at the shop] will compete for best tattoo of the day. Smiley will do a Disney leg piece, and Daniel is working on a portrait with custom lettering."

The daily "Best Of The Day" contest is where participants enter a fresh tattoo that was inked onto the body and completed that same day. The contests are held on the main stage, where musicians and extreme performers show out.

Other tattoo contest categories focus on motifs, styles, and body parts. Categories include the best religious, realistic, movie character, Latin art, traditional, black and gray, color, portrait, lettering, and Asian tattoos. Then, larger-scale tats or collections are entered in the full sleeve, leg, and back categories.

At past Body Art Expo events, one by one, the contestants are called up in front of the crowd and stand in front of three judges who inspect the tattoo or set of tattoos entered into the contest. Generally, the judges seek high-quality inkwork with oodles of definition, shading, composition, and originality —although other factors are added or subtracted depending on what the category is. Color and realism are two variables.

The expo will also have live music performances.

Then, on all three days, The Agents of LUST group from the Valley will perform on stage. "We are an extreme performance art troupe with fire and grinding acts featuring low flame props, fire breathing, using metal grinders to emit sparks in our wild antic stage shows," says GRANTHRAX, the leader of the group for the last 10 years. "We also shock the audience with glass walking, staple-gun play, and even a straitjacket show, all being planned for our third time at the Body Art Expo at Scottsdale this time around."

Helen "DollPits" Rimmer is also part of the group that will be performing the human suspension on Sunday, she says. "It's where I'll be hooked from my back (through temporary perforations within her skin) and suspended."

She recently posted on Instagram a "fire grinding" excursion where she's depicted wearing what appears to be part of a chastity belt with a metal tube affixed to it. Rimmer then activates a handheld die grinder, a metal grinding tool, and grinds the metal bar, which emits a shower of sparks.

Rimmer's also a "hardcore glass walker and smasher," she continues. "People walk on me while I'm on broken glass, essentially; it's my easiest act, funny enough."

Rimmer is adorned with a modest tattoo collection, although her piercing ensemble is, well, you be the judge. "I have a stretched septum, pierced bridge, two helices on either side of my ears, stretched ears, both nostrils, my smiley piercing in my gums, my Medusa, and my regular labret hoop through my lip," she says. "I've had my nipple piercings done three times, but with my extreme line of work — it's not worth it."

GRANTHRAX concludes, "We fit in well with the tattoo and piercing community, being the horror-style freak show that we are, and have done multiple shows with Body Art Expo all over Arizona and California consistently since 2016."

Body Art Expo. 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, October 21; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, October 22; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, October 23. WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 North Pima Road, Scottsdale. Ticketsare$20 to $25 per day or $55 for a three-day pass.