Anton Shebetko is a young artist and photographer from Kiev, Ukraine. Former editor of Men’s Magazine and culture journalist, he started to create his works during a long-term vacation in Bangkok. In his art he tries to focus on questions of gender equality, transformation of a bodily and sexual attraction. Sometimes his works are deadly serious but most of the time they are funny, trashy and sexy.
KALTBLUT: There is a certain fascination with fruits. Can you tell me about it?
Anton: It’s started with a joke and one papaya but transformed into full series calls “Juicy”. It is interesting that some people find this pictures disgusting and inappropriate. The same people who watch hardcore porn movies think that melon between men’s legs is something awful and offensive. Probably it shows how we have complexes about our sexuality. Of course it has deal with sex, the symbols are pretty obvious. Fruits are juicy, tasty and funny as sex is. As every sexual date it has three indispensable parts: flirting, process and finish. Or you can write that I’m just trying to find the best ingredients for a fruit salad.
KALTBLUT: Where do you get ideas from? What influences your photography?
Anton: It’s all in my head. I’m just trying to bring the images from my mind to a real life. I’m a great fan of music, movies and pop-culture so I guess it counts as influences. Of course internet influences me, works of other artists and photographers, from trash artworks to serious documentaries.
KALTBLUT: How easy or difficult is it finding models for your shoots?
Anton: It depends on pictures I wanna take. When it goes to full naked pictures some people are really shy so it can be a problem. But if no one can recognize them, it is much easier. Usually I ask my friends to pose me. Also as everyone I use Internet, social networks and date apps.
KALTBLUT: Are you working on something new right now?
Anton: None of my series is finished yet, so I’m continuing to work on it. But I also have ideas for a few art-projects and series. Also I wanna try to make documentary project. I’m newbie so I guess it’s normal that I wanna try different stuff and look how it works. But probably it will not be correct to talk about result of my work before it’s done.
Interview by Amanda M. Jansson
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