Transilvania Tattoo Expo is the first international body art convention organised in Romania. Arpad Orban, the artist tattooing for Bizzzart Tattoo studio in Cluj is the winner of the 2009 edition.

The first Transilvania Tattoo Expo edition concluded on Sunday evening. Body artist Arpad Orban managed to secure two awards on Saturday: Best Realistic and Best in Show. On Sunday, he also got hold of the distinction craved by all the tattoo artists present this weekend in Sibiu: Best in Convention, the best tattoo painted at the Transilvania Tattoo Expo.

40 international artists specialised in body modifications competed from Friday to Sunday, painting approximately 150 tattoos, making tens of piercing and even one surgical intervention, where a tongue was split in two. There were body painting work-shops and rock concerts to entertain the 4,000 visitors who came to admire the tattoo art.

The jury comprised in Angel (Alberto Romeral), one of the world’s best tattoo artists – a Spanish living in India and a legend of the tattoo art world. There was also Travelin Mick (Michael Laurkien), the highest regarded journalist specialised in this kind of events, and Zsolt Sarkozy, Hungaria’s most famous artist.

"Transilvania Tattoo Club" Association, founded in 1997 and U.E.T.A (United European Tattoo Artists) affiliated aims to create a community for all body art passionate in Romania.