'Vampire Woman,' Mexico's Maria Jose Cristerna, Gives Interview At Venezuelan Tattoo Expo

Though popular legend says that vampires must eschew direct light to survive, one 'vampire' has thrived in the spotlight recently. And really, it takes a lot to stand out at a tattoo convention where a man was suspended from hooks in his skin, but leave it up to Maria Jose Cristerna, the famous Mexican "Vampire Woman," to do just that.

Cristerna attended the Venezuelan Tattoo Expo on Jan. 28 in Caracas, Fox News reports. According to Agence France Presse, more than 200 tattoo artists from a dozen countries attended the event, but Cristerna's titanium horns, dental "fangs" and numerous facial piercings drew particular attention, even among other tattoo aficionados.

"My body transformation has been a part of taking my taste to the extreme," Cristerna told AFP. "Life is short and sometimes we waste it on many things, so I've chosen beauty. And for me it's beautiful to be this way, so that's why I do it."

Last September, Ripley's Believe It or Not! took full-body casts of Cristerna to produce wax figures of her likeness for display at museums around the world -- bringing her one step closer to immortality.

Check out the pictures below from the Venezuela Tattoo Expo and an interview The Telegraph conducted with the Mexican "Vampire Woman."

Comments

[ErzsebetEbano]

03:53 PM on 02/27/2012

people shouldnt be judged,,..in fact it should be un-natural not seeing modified people,,..we started off modified ,,the aztecs, mayas and other cultures were all modifed,,,and everyone has turned normal and are affraid to unleash there inner beings,,,i look up to Mary jose because although she was pretty and smart and normal as a kid she had the guts to be who she really is and it seems like nothing but it takes alot to actually be yourself!and in my opinion there's no such thing as "too much" as long as you feel like yourself there shouldnt be a limit to anything!..

[Elizabeth Ebony]

03:48 PM on 02/27/2012

people shouldnt be judged,,..in fact it should be un-natural not seeing modified people,,..we started off modified ,,the aztecs, mayas and other cultures were all modifed,,,and everyone has turned normal and are affraid to unleash there inner beings,,,i look up to Mary jose because although she was pretty and smart and normal as a kid she had the guts to be who she really is and it seems like nothing but it takes alot to actually be yourself!and in my opinion there's no such thing as "too much" as long as you feel like yourself there shouldnt be a limit to anything!..

[Sandra Muoz]

07:39 AM on 02/07/2012

If she is a decent citizen then I do not care what she does with her body... all the best to her

[Blindstu]

05:56 AM on 02/06/2012

At least she doesn't have to worry about slapping on the makeup before going to the supermarket. However, on the other hand, the poor guy she sleeps with must wake up every morning looking at a nightmare.

[Coloboricua]

01:03 PM on 02/05/2012

Maria is a smart mexican women. I saw her in caso cerrado but I dont get it why she would go that far.

[Edward Standley]

08:25 AM on 02/05/2012

I was thinking about trying a new style of haircut.

[iLdoRight]

10:20 PM on 02/04/2012

How many Americans look that way on the inside?

[Sandra Muoz]

07:30 AM on 02/07/2012

Not only Americans, people worldwide.

[iLdoRight]

03:03 PM on 02/07/2012

So true. This is my talking to children routine, "Are you having a fun day today?", no matter what they answer I usually continue, "Well you should, you should try to have a little good clean fun every day and try to learn something good every day and if you get to be really smart you can try to help find a way to make the world a better place in a way that doesn't harm anyone. Doesn't that sound like fun? That's what I try to do." For girls I add, "You know some boys like girls that are really smart, I know I do. Some boys think they like dumb girls, but they usually grow out of it and If you meet a boy in that stage that you might like to get to know better and you are really smart you will be able to not let him know how smart you are without lying, but if you meet a boy who likes really smart girls and you keep yourself dumb you probably won't be able to fool him into thinking you are smart." If I the opportunity is good I sometimes add, "The one book that I have read that I think helped me become smarter than any other book is the Bible, you know today you can get the whole Bible on one DVD for only $14 including postage or a free download on the internet."

[iLdoRight]

10:15 PM on 02/04/2012

Caption suggestion; " And You Thought YOU Were Something ! "

[DoctorDirector]

12:05 AM on 02/04/2012

Wow, what a bunch of inane comments. Most of these show no interest in really understanding what she's doing, from her perspective. It doesn't really matter if you want to do it or not; either way, she's doing it, and it's pretty interesting.

[piul05]

01:42 PM on 02/04/2012

I think so, too.

[Melania Mashup]

12:35 AM on 03/21/2012

Exactly.

[johnnygoodwud]

12:18 PM on 02/03/2012

this reminds of a saying i once heard, 'because we can do something, doesn't mean we should'

[johnnygoodwud]

12:16 PM on 02/03/2012

good luck getting a job,,,,,,,,,,any job, other than in a tat parlor

[ptrgamb]

08:35 AM on 02/03/2012

Hubba hubba!

[piul05]

01:43 PM on 02/04/2012

LOL!

[elbeas]

08:30 AM on 02/03/2012

Just imagine the reactions if the Vampire Women worked as a Wal-Mart greeter.

[3daywkend]

10:16 PM on 02/04/2012

Or a flight attendant.

[lookin]

08:02 AM on 02/03/2012

She's beautiful.

[lilliefaerie]

07:39 AM on 02/03/2012

Can you imagine trying to go on a flight? It would take hours to remove and replace everything. She probably makes more money doing shows than she did in her old profession.