Cebu shows no signs of slowing down its bursts of creative energy as we end July with Patik Kita. 

Last July 26-27, KITA Spaces Cebu reimagined their place for a two-day tattoo and arts pop-up event celebrating creativity, self-expression, and the beauty of community. Headlining this gathering is the rising superstar in the art of handpoke tattoo-making, Hyna Calderon.

Handpoked Ink: Never Fading in the Hearts of Filipinos

Handpoke tattooing has always been deeply interwoven into our rich precolonial history, with the earliest records dating back to the account of the Spanish navigator, Antonio Pigafetta, when he witnessed what he called “Los Pintados” or “The Painted Ones” —Visayan warriors with skin heavily etched in ink.

Flash forward to modern times, this culturally-embedded love for hand-poked tattoos persists as people continue to get inked by artists who practice the traditional technique. 

Rolling with this idea, KITA interviews Hyna about when she felt like she had crossed the line that separates an artist from a brand. Working on a tattoo, Hyna openly shares:

“I think it was when people started messaging me, saying they were really looking for me because they wanted to get a handpoke—like it was really specific.”

It was in this moment that Hyna knew how much handpoke tattoos meant to the community.

“They were looking for me because of the handpoke, not just because they follow me on social media.”

Pop-Up, Inked Up

By the end of the interview, Hyna was asked what she would do if she were given KITA’s entire space to hold an event for a whole day. This was the birth of Patik Kita.

Among the things Hyna mentioned, the idea of a flea market floated into the conversation, reflecting the identity of KITA spaces, as this would give a platform for Cebu’s artists to highlight and sell their works.

Saghara Tattoo (Patik ni Hyna) headlined the event, as they were joined by Wooden Wick Cebu, MicaMakes, Kesepea, The Pierced Club (Formerly Atu’a Tusok), and The Molave Coven. Making the event even more exciting were Etienne Chantal and Lloyd Chua—two of Cebu’s finest influencers.

Patik Kita welcomed a passionate crowd who dropped by to get inked, meet some fellow creatives, and experience tarot reading (which was a crowd favorite). Some even enjoyed KITA’s delectable food, coffee, and other beverages, like the Hyna-recommended key lime pie and banana peanut-butter protein shake.

What the Future Holds for Cebu’s Creatives

With the success of Patik Kita comes Cebu’s undeniable yearning for more art-centric events. KITA Spaces will rise to the demand as we promise to continue working with promising artists like Hyna Calderon to highlight the brilliance of Filipino art.