Tattoos are common in Buenos Aires. And they’re growing in popularity each and every day. Argentines take their hobbies and subcultures seriously. Facial tattoos, split tongues and eyeball tattoos are not uncommon in Buenos Aires.
Here’s what you need to know about tattoos in Buenos Aires.
Can I Get Tattooed in Buenos Aires?
You can get tattooed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There are large numbers of tattooist in all of the cities 48 suburbs. Though the greatest concentration of tattoo artists is in Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood and Recoleta.
When selecting a tattoo artist in Buenos Aires it’s extremely important to thoroughly vet the tattooist before booking in for a tattoo session. While there are a handful of extremely talented tattooists in BA there are a lot of poor quality tattoo artists.
With Argentina’s failing economy comes a lot of individuals looking to make side incomes or move into cash based roles. And this gives rise to a lot of backyard scratchers masquerading as professional tattooists.
Tattoos in Buenos Aires can be exceptional. But they can also be utterly terrible and require extensive tattoo coverups. Choose your tattoo artist wisely. And thoroughly check their online reviews and their portfolios of past works available on Facebook and Instagram.
Do Argentines Like Tattoos?
Tattoos in Buenos Aires are a relatively new phenomenon. It’s only in the last ten (10) to fifteen (15) years that tattoos have risen in popularity in Argentina. Yet they are now extremely common.
It’s as if there’s been an upswell of support for tattoos among Argentina’s youth. Tattoos in Buenos Aires are so common that it’s now part of everyday life to see people with facial tattoos, split tongues or tattooed eyeballs. Particularly around Recoleta and Palermo.
Because tattoos are now so common in Argentina it has actually become uncommon for people to notice them. I spent a year living in Buenos Aires. And nobody ever really paid much attention to my tattoos. Which was a welcome change from Cuba.
On the whole, the youth of Argentina love tattoos. While the older generation of Argentines will barely notice at all if you have tattoos. But there are no negative connotations like criminality associated with tattoos in Argentina.
Where To Get Tattooed In Argentina?
My favorite shopping mall in Buenos Aires is Galeria Bond Street in Recoleta. Particularly if you want a glimpse of just how far down the subculture rabbit hole one can go in BA.
Galeria Bond Street is a block from El Ateneo Grand Splendid (the worlds most beautiful bookshop) and its a 5 story shopping mall filled with the edgiest tattoo parlors in town. It’s where you can find everything from Hello Kitty through to stores stocking Hardcore bondage apparel.
The entire inside of the shopping mall is one large graffiti zone. And there are always street artists working on different walls inside the mall.
Just walking around inside Galeria Bond Street is an experience in itself. You’ll get to see just how seriously Argentines take their hobbies and subcultures. With everything from Goth, punk, skate, grunge and more on display in Galeria Bond Street.
Street Art in Buenos Aires?
Street art is common in Buenos Aires. So common in fact that there are organized tours all over the city. The facade of virtually every building in Buenos Aires has some form of street art or graffiti.
Yet it’s the huge graffiti murals that are Buenos Aires real draw card for the lovers of street art. In Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Soho, Villa Crespo and Recoleta there are huge street masterpieces on the sides of high rise buildings.
After visiting Galeria Bond Street and seeing the street artists at work there, or after getting tattooed in Buenos Aires, I would advise any visitor to BA to walk around and checkout the street art. Because some of the graffiti murals are quite fascinating. And many have intriguing political messages.
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