Join us on Saturday 13 May, 14:30 – 17:30, for the “Guide to Hand-poked Tattoo Workshop” with Douce Torpeur. Capacity: 8 participants.

Tattoo culture has always been closely connected with the marginals and the dissidents. Whether it’s a celebration of a significant moment of life, a protection, an act of self-making, a mark of belonging, or just for fun; self-tattoo is a way of appropriating our bodies outside of some conventional norms. As part of queer methodologies, the act of self tattooing can be a way of reclaiming the ownership of our own bodies by being in full control of the decision we are making for ourselves.

If home tattoo is a strong and exciting experience that many of us do, it’s better if it doesn't become a bad memory due to bad sanitary conditions. This workshop is a moment of knowledge sharing and a guide to safely tattoo yourself with proper tattoo supplies and sanitary instructions to avoid any health risk. The participants will be guided through the process of self-tattooing a small design of their choice, and will be accompanied all along the several steps, from preparing the design, setting up the work space and supplies, learning the basics of handpoke tattoo* and aftercare.

Tattoo artists can use hand-poked technique (the needle is held directly by the hand) or various types of tattoo machines, but handpoke is the easiest and cheapest way to tattoo when you don’t want to invest in expensive professional equipment.

This event is part of the public programme that activates the “Dissident Publics: Future Artefacts of Queer Methodologies” exhibition space. The project is supported by the Arts Council Norway (Kulturrådet), Nordisk Kulturfond, Bergen kommune, Vestland fylkeskommune, L’Institut français de Norvège, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Riga, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Paris.