The article

    UNLIKELY HERO

BY TARIQ ALI & Rock V.

Lately, I have had New York City on my mind. How it was then and now. And if I should grow up.and mature gracefully as NY has done. Or go back to my old ways. And I have have decided  neither is beneficial for me. The queens in City are different now. Now everyone has blue hair, tattoos, and etc.

Now, the movement is a conservative one; whereas, before... it was more daring to be unique rather than fit in. Now everyone is visiting the dermatologist, and watching Reality T.V. And who is at fault those who put it out there. Or those who watch in some sort of subversive voyeuristic way. I'm not one to mince words. I miss the New York of my days.

Now everyone is a star and that's true and it should be this way. But few have earned it.

Now, if you are a personality you are star; rather than having skill and talent and qualities that the stars we grew up with had.

These kids want to be famous to just be famous. Which there's nothing wrong. I mean there's plenty of musicians; who wanted fame so they can play, work, and fuck. But to just be over dramatic, and a little wry- I've had enough. 

  The media is obsessed with these mousey figures with no features and 2000's era fashions, and statements to recycle the nineties as we did the eighties. And the nineties weren't about borrowing from anything except for jazz, and soul for Gangsta Rap. And Rock had borrowed from Punk Rock.

And culture. Now its all Pop or mainstream.

Or digested by the masses. Fast food Fast fashion. Disposable stars rebranding themselves constantly looking for you to buy their poison perfume.

 This is where Panagiotis sets himself apart.

"Without fame, it's harder to get due attention for your work. I've never cared for fame. I've always had difficulty being myself, so I would force myself down other people's throat, and behave like a brat. I've changed now. But I'm still the same in my art." 

How do you feel about the new breed of stars?  "I don't care for them. They don't pay attention to the details. They cry about privacy, but allowed everyone into their life."

How do you feel about Contemporary Art?

"It bores me to tears. I feel like we are living in The Stone Age reliving our worst nightmares.

It's very Pop Art, but all style- no substance!"

Are you opposed to reliving the Nineties?

"I was born in 1979. I was a kid in the Eighties. I was a teen in the Nineties. And an adult, after the Millennia. I grew up in the Midwest. In a very religious and culturally fascinating  household with all kinds of backward notions. And a lot of love of course. But the kids today have it easier in one respect and harder in others. Now they are a very visible target. But like I said their doppelgangers are everywhere. During my youth we were more unique. And being unique is what it meant to be queer. But like I said the kids today have it tougher because the bullies have their resources, and have come up as well."

What's new in the works for you?

"I have dabbled in so much. From singing, dancing, directing, cosmetics, fragrance. Drag. Poetry. Religious works, short stories, songs, hymns. Painting, photographs, selfies, edits,  and memes. I just draw inspiration from everywhere. My interests. My fascinations. To be a multifaceted person.

I mock them, or parody them. Other times,

I make a statement. Sometimes, I share my view. Or a point of view. I try to create chaos.

Or to inspire discussion, or dialogue.

Everything I do is available for free.

So I don't profit from others. And I do sell prints and donate proceeds to charity.

I've been trying to use social media for good.

And it's good for me."

How is your battle against Mental Health?

"It's great. Everything I do is to destigmatize  the mental health crisis. Destigmatize Gay issues.  And throw darts at the male archetype and so on. I feel I'm successful.

That makes me feel better that I can make life easier for someone else. I'm not a role model. Or inspire them to do the same."

One last question, New York or Chicago?

"New York for vacations, and Chicago for my usual cum-guzzling."

You can catch Panagiotis on his blog.

Blogspot

Fine art america

Pixels 

Society 6

Le galeriste

Rock Vanity