Pavel Petel is a Russian artist playing in his own league. Based in Moscow. He is famous as a naked DJ, performer and for his hot body. He is a designer, creative director and if you have the chance to see one of his live shows, then don´t miss it. We had the pleasure to interview the Russian hunk for our first print issue.
He says: ´I’m Pop Art´! But he is so much more. Mister Pavel Petel!
“They all understand the international language of humor, beautiful body and self irony.”
KALTBLUT: Hello Pavel. Welcome to KALTBLUT. We are big fans of your work and for sure of you as well. How would you describe yourself?
PAVEL: Salut! Thank you, nice to hear! I’m Pop Art. I get inspiration from the world around us. I try out everything that are attracting me and catching my attention, then I look at these things through my characters on pictures and video.
KALTBLUT: You are particularly well known for the pictures you take of yourself , most of the time in public, wearing high heels, half naked. How did you come to that?
PAVEL: I‘ve always been this way. Just in the Internet era it’s easier to publish pictures and videos via Tumblr, Flickr and Youtube. Youtube always blocked my videos, for this reason I decided to concentrate my attention on photo stories. But now I’d like to fit in censorship and try TV – it’s a very interesting perspective! People’s reaction is very interesting every time and not less spectacular than my looks – it’s a fact!
So I love to play with public. People force me to open up, they come into the creative dialogue with me. Usually an audience is very positive towards me. Despite the provocative images I try to be liked by people on the street, to excite positive emotions. Women and men, grannies and grandpas smiling, taking pictures, asking for autographs. They all understand the international language of humor, beautiful body and self irony.
KALTBLUT: How is the reaction from the people on the street? When you do your photos? I can guess there are some funny moments. Tell us some.
PAVEL: Indeed. I’m well known in Russia, it’s more and more difficult to astonish people. If I go out everyone‘s waiting for something extraordinary… When I come to an especially empty place to do a new shoot, immediately people show up from anywhere! Dead streets turn to crowds of people. When I was skating on roller blades in Yalta (I was naked in golden chains), I got a thermal shock by the sun – my heart got sick, my eyes saw nothing, my body was feverish, but you can’t see this on the pictures… That moment I understood – there is this only one chance, because I’m going to another part of the world in a few hours. I need to smile and skate… And ohhh… It was my first time on roller blades! I did everything to look spectacular!
KALTBLUT: Is there a political message behind your pictures? And if so what?
PAVEL: Politics? Are you kidding? I don’t know any country in the world with a real democracy! Because of European bureaucracy it’s difficult to get a visa to Europe. On the other hand Europeans can’t pay for my show because of the economy trouble of the European Union.
In Warsaw’s center few nationalists tried to beat me up, yelled out that I’m “Turkish”, insulted to me, but I’m an ordinary dark-haired Ukrainian. I have no complaints to political regimes in this world. All my pictures are positive and not containing political ideas or protests. If I’d like to change something I would have to be a president. I would be a dictator – it’s a fact! LOL!
Russia pays me well. This is a rich country, where I feel happy and free now. I plan to go on tour around China – there is a lot of money, which I need to realize my creative ideas.
KALTBLUT: Did you ever get in trouble with the police?
PAVEL: Never. Policemen are usually smiling. When I did a naked shooting on a fountain in the city’s center, Russian policemen politely asked me to not break the fountain. That’s all. In Europe I would have been arrested probably…
KALTBLUT: Personally I really like the funny dimension that you add to some of your shoots ( the wigs, the underwear…) Are you working alone on these photos?
PAVEL: I work as a duo with my partner Sergey Ostrikov. He is always by my side, he takes most pictures of me in real time. Sergey is a talented designer, famous blogger, makeup artist and photographer. All ideas and outfits we discuss and create together. Our duo is also known as design studio PETEL/OSTRIKOV – we do graphic design, prints, SMM and other things.
KALTBLUT: What is your creative process during a shoot? Or you just do it very spontaneously?
PAVEL: The most important is “to find” and “to realize”. I know, that “tomorrow” will never come. If you haven’t done something today and now, you haven’t got any chance tomorrow! Usually we just go out and look for something interesting. I always have tons of ideas, but any street detail or people around emphasizes the idea and adds some pepper to my vision!
KALTBLUT: Where do you find your inspiration, what are your references?
PAVEL: I told you, my inspiration is the world around us, fashion, sex, music, pop culture… I love to catch people’s attention. I know my powerful sides, I try to play with the contrast of masculinity and femininity.
KALTBLUT: There are some really sexual pics of you on your page. You are with a hard cock. You cum. Have you ever thought about doing porn as a professional performer?
PAVEL: Hahaha! Porn? For what? I know, this business is low budget. Porn industry won’t allow me to realize my creative ambitions. Or am I not right?
KALTBLUT: People can easily think that you like to show off, are you an exhibitionist or is it a character that you‘ve created?
PAVEL: I love myself and attention to my person. I love clothing, fetish things, expensive accessories. I work hard on my body, I spend thousands and thousands of dollars. If every exhibitionist looks like me – I will build a golden monument to each one of them. I try to be the ideal man on my pictures, but I’m not just naked – background and each part of my look are very important. Some time ago I was 140 kilos, I was a fat ugly freak. You know… I made myself and I‘m proud of this. A beautiful naked body is a priceless divine masterpiece. It’s my gift and I share this. For free on the Internet by the way.
KALTBLUT: How did you get there?
PAVEL: Not there yet! I’m still trying to get there!
KALTBLUT: How many times a week do you work out?
PAVEL: It depends on the period. Usually I go to the gym 5 times weekly, twice I go to stretching classes and the same to choreography. I love cycling and skating.
KALTBLUT: You are a special kind of DJ, since you are naked during your sets. Can you tell us a little more about it?
PAVEL: I own a show. I love music, but I’m not a classical DJ. For me it’s not interesting to just stay and play music. I dream about my own music material, but now I’m in a NAKED DJs project with my partner Sergey. The NAKED DJs show is a unique 1,5 hour performance including stage numbers.
We turn to Nicki Minaj and Madonna, then start to fight with pillows, change outfits, dance booty shake, etc. During one show we change 10 or more outfits, talk with the audience and may sing. One of the numbers… Muscled and halfnaked halfnaked I sit on a chair, my legs are in openwork stockings, feet on 20 cm high heels, and I sing Lana Del Rey – Video Games. Could you imagine? LOL!
Interview by Nicolas Simoneau and Marcel Schlutt
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Read the full interview : HERE Page 68
