THE NIU VELVET

the niu velvet

SAMOAN CHUBS FROM LEADBELLYART

ITS INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT OTHER IMAGES OF POLY MEN ARE ON THE NET - THIS IMAGE ENTITLED 'AWA' IS FROM THE ANONYMOUS ARTIST KNOWN AS LeadBellyArt HERE'S HIS TUMBLR PAGE AND BLOGSPOT ..

http://leadbellyart.blogspot.co.nz/
http://leadbellyart.tumblr.com/

THE NEW LOOK

When those scared women at the Mangere Art Centre made a complaint about my portraits of Iona, Leo and Daniel, I took it on the chin, I knew the art was doing it's job... What I learned over the long term was that I hadn't even warmed up to pushing boundaries and your safe lil comfort zones - "but y'all gone learn today"  

FAKE MORAL OUTRAGE.. IT'S LIKE SAMOAN SLUTS AND SECRETLY SEXUAL DEVIANTS THAT GET OFF PRETENDING THEY NEVER THINK OR TALK ABOUT SEX. AT LEAST I OWN MY SHIT.
 
http://youtu.be/XcLMdSkCGnI

BACK TO THE ART

I START A PROJECT THAT HELPS ME RESOLVE SOME INTERNAL CONFLICT IN MY LIFE AND ONCE IT'S SORTED I QUICKLY MOVE ON. BUT THEN THE PROJECTS GETS LEFT BEHIND AND BERRIED IN THE DIGITAL GRAVEYARD OF THE INTERNET. I REMEMBER THIS BLOG BEING ABOUT ART. ART THAT I LIKED. SO MAYBE LETS REVISIT THIS THEME AND SEE IF WE CAN'T REINVIGORATE SOME LIFE BACK INTO THIS BLOG. I THOUGHT I'D START WITH SOMETHING RUDE AND INAPPROPRIATE LIKE - BUTT BULLY. FOR THOSE OF YOU BLOG SPOT USERS THAT HAVEN'T MIGRATED TO TUMBLR... HERE'S SOME TUMBLR RABBIT FOOD FOR YOUR TRIP DOWN THE TUMBLR RABBIT HOLE.

http://buttbullyart.tumblr.com/

THE FAFSWAG BALL

COMING TO SOUTH AUCKLAND | THE FAFSWAG BALL | 31st OCTOBER 2013

The FAFSWAG BALL© is a competitive showcase in which registered houses (groups of 5-7 members) compete in a series of performative categories for trophies, sponsored spot prizes and a Grand Cash Prize of $1000 dollars.

Modeled after the underground Harlem Ball scene of the 1940’s, popularised more prolifically in New York City in the early 1980’s. A ‘Ball’ is a live event in which urban ethnic minority groups and queer subcultures showcase their creative talents across a diverse spectrum of competitive genres such as performance, dance and runway fashion.

If you’re an attention seeker looking to capture the crowds applause with your fierce show stopping swag, then assemble your house of divas and lets take it to the ballroom floor.

We want to see your epic vogue drops, your flawless custom design and your Bossiest runway strut – this is your chance to get your walk on.

The FAFSWAG BALL is a fast-paced night of entertainment with some good old-fashioned competitive flare. A judging panel of creative industry professionals and an MC with a taste for drama and spectacle come together in search of the HOUSE with the most swag. If you want to be crowned Legends then bring your best SHADE to the 2013 FAFSWAG BALL.

Hosted in South Auckland the FAFSWAG BALL is the first of it’s kind, presented in partnership with Manukau Faculty of Creative Arts M.I.T and The Otara Community Board. This event allows diverse Pacific LGBTI and the broader SouthSide community to come together to celebrate unique difference in a cool and creative way.

FAFSWAG ON TWITTER

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
 
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
 
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. 

© Max Ehrmann 1927

HASHTAG - TROUBLE

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT YOU, WITHOUT A DOPE BEAT TO STEP TO.

So there's a lot that's changed in the months I haven't been blogging.. For all of my 12 followers slash subscribers... haha watch this space over the next few weeks for some updates... In the meantime.. enjoy our first ever attempt at making a FAFSWAG GIFF. This one is called HASHTAG - TROUBLE.

FAFGANG CALENDAR

DAS WHY JERRY IS IN REAL ART GALLERIES AND YOU GOTTA PEDDLE YOUR SHIT ONLINE. BEEEEITCH!!

MONKEYS IN THE CLUB

GAYS IN THE MAINSTREAM

KISS MY GAY SAMOAN ASS

Mykki Blanco coined the phrase with his rap lyric "What the hell I godda prove to a room full of dudes who aint listening to my words cause they staring at my shoes" the sentiment frames this next post perfectly!!

FOR COLOURED BOYS

Lets not get it twisted with the pretty pictures and colourful cartoons. Having to validate 'me and mine' to ignorant people invading my space and pushing their privileged positions on me. You don't have to get it you just have to keep 'you and yours' to your dam self. Fuck!! write a blog if my being gay bothers you that much. If you feel the pressure of having 'gay' shit infiltrate your perfectly clean little bubble that's not my fault. Take a minute, look around and get in tune with the ways of the world.

How are you gonna notice a human being, let alone whats good for you when you spend your whole time staring at my sex! FUCKING STRAIGHT PEOPLE. I don't want to have to hear or care about your uncle or cousin or besty who happens to be gay. You saying that in a sentence when you meet another gay person is fucking patronizing. That's for your comfort and your piece of mind so you can feel like you relate to 'me and mine'.

But your relational politics are a fraud. Like telling me you know what it's like to be raped cause you saw it in a movie this one time. Like you know what prejudiced and intolerance is cause you know some black people up in your world. How bout acknowledging the limitations of your experience and you do you instead of informing me how much you know what it's like to be me.

As for the SAMOANS that don't get it. That's just some straight up bullshit. I see you populating the shadows and the awkward space like that's where babies are made. But it's simply cause no one would expect you have your hand down 'him and his'. I see you preaching your words of hate as all god fearing men do, but you practice the same as 'me and mine' while still in the grace of same god who sees all and knows all.

I feel like he enjoys watching you give head, get spit roast and spin back round and spit a prayer out like a warm wind just blew up your sunday best man skirt and tickled your fucking ballbags. I'm blessed he touched me. Then you get cuddle up to the boosem of your warm little lie and stare down your fucking nose at me like I'm fucking Judas because I happen to take ownership of me and my shit....FUCKYOU

You can kiss my gay samoan ass
KISS MY GAY SAMOAN ASS!!

POLY POP ICECREAM

THE SAMOAN WAY

This is a picture of my sister taken from one of my other artworks.
I've seen so many Fa'afafine mimic the traditional manner of the Samoan Taupou. I'm wondering what would happen if a FAF was to take up the role and run with it. How would our people respond when convention and tradition are challenged and destablised. Is any one keen to explore this idea with me?

JERRY T SHIRT

JERRY  has been getting mobile thanks to his fans in LA and my niggah from Christchurch (you know who you are) thanks for the PROMO.

SOCIAL WHORING

ART RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME. dollar dollar bills ya'll!!
Seems like everyone has one of these things... FB has made self publishing a validation tool for those with small voices and too much time. Say's I... who for the very same reason refuses to start a tumblr simply cause my poor social habits are already recorded on enough Social Media sites... Any way, art is always my interface, and JERRY one of my many brands still needs to be out in the world, So fuck-it!!  SUCK SOME SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION BALLZ.

GAY SAMOAN MEN | SOUTH AUCKLAND | FAFSWAG

POLLY SWAG + PATI

UNPACKING OUR CULTURAL BAGAGE

Gay Marriage, the Samoan Community and Its Hypocrisy

This is a blog post from a blogger named Patrick Thomsen who manages a blog called AccidentalAnarchist

I enjoy researching the Samoan Gay experience online as a means of engaging discourses around themes of homosexuality amongst Samoan and Pacific communities. This relates to my arts practice and the thinking behind a lot of what gets expressed here under the output of JERRY THE FA'AFAFINE.

I always imagine some day i'd write my post grad based on what visible information existed online and was collected on this blog. For me this space is where I get to share what is often a truncated version of some of those findings. The translation to my own social media output is always aligned to my visual language as an artist. So sometimes the conversations are articulated as art works. (FLASHING LIGHTS AND PRETTY LIL PICTURES)

I wanted to share the above blog post titled 'Gay marriage, The Samoan Community and its Hypocrisy' because here for the first time is a refreshing perspective on the issue. This intelligent and articulate voice carefully and in a sharp and considered manner, disassembles a lot of SAMOAS cultural double standards when it comes to sex and homosexuality.

This text is the first one in a long time that I've felt connected to as an artist. I really enjoyed the writing. Please click the Link and have a jack at it yourself. It may speak to you as it clearly has to me. As a gesture to the conviction of equality I thought I gift to you a picture of myself and what I really look like.

SAMOANS AFTER DARK

THE PARODY OF A WOMAN -- IS SO SAMOAN

This boy is too cute.

Samoan Men // Boys have been parodying females for as long as we've had Fa'afafine. This is totally embedded in my culture. In fact, in the only manner in which it is acceptable to display any homosexual characteristics as a Samoan man, is when they are extremely exaggerated, in which instance this action can be as perversely absurd and still seem perfectly normal.

Pacific performance, inclusive of our theatre, music and obsession with pageants will always showcase two polar and contradicting opposites. -- The FAFZ adorning severe female pantomimes that take the position, that they are more woman than a real woman. and -- The groups of boys and men who dress up as FAFZ and perform satirical dance choreography to a song.

A recent fad over the past years has been the female parody of the pop song "SINGLE LADIES" by R&B artist Beyonce. The year this song came out, you could guarantee to see a group of supposedly straight Samoan males performing to this song at every wedding, social, concert, opening of a fucking envelope or formal event.

The Samoan masses prefer when the FAFZ BREAK THE TENSION OF FORMALITY WITH A LIL SONG AND DANCE.

FAFS N CLUBZ

MY BOYFRIEND

This is my boyfriend Pati, I enjoy making these. They're fun and risk free which is how making art should sometimes be.

GAY SAMOAN POP ART

FAFZ ON FACEBOOK

I do enjoy when other men reach out and share some of their UNDERCOVER BROTHER stories. On Facebook I posted a question on the QueerNZ FB page asking if all Poly men are in the closet and if so how do they all fit in there? (clearly my cynicism playing out on the internet) I got some  interesting feedback but my favorite was this story below shared by 'Taniwha Tu' who also let me repost it on this blog. Thanks for that Taniwha Tu, I have no doubt there are thousands of guys out there with similar stories about polly boy and yet those FAFS probably have no idea the gays talk about them.

SOUTHSIDES ORIGINAL GAY BAR

Shot on a Cannon mark 5D, I took this fancy camera to a Samoan night club in South Auckland called "APIAWAY". With a Notorious reputation for drunken disorderly, and extreme violence in some cases, the clubs familiar exterior has welcomed in a new era of drunken and disorderly. This Younger generation take their own unique brand of PolySwagg to this infamous spot every thursday night in the spirit of --PARTY & BULLSHIT-- keeping alive the traditions of the two generations before them.

Dripping with hormones and beautiful Pacific people the territorial boundaries of this clubs past have now been replaced with mating rituals that look like post tweens doing the 'Dougie'. I met this gorgeous young man outside with my camera ASSistant (LIFE OF A FAF) and snapped some shots up against the red steel cage. I never caught his name but then thats always the way.

I used to wonder when anyone in SOUTHSIDE would ever open a gay bar, then I remembered the army of FAFZ that turn out to AY-WAY on a thursday night and then I realized that of course... APIAWAY is South Auckland's oldest standing gay bar to date. hahaha

INDUSTRIAL PARADISE

POPE BRON$

I first came across Pope Bron$ via a phone call from a friend who was in wellington reading an article in the 'SUNDAY' pull-out of the weekend herald. Titled 'Rap's Last Taboo' it was a story about a GAY RAPPER from South Auckland. The article read like an expose on the novelty of Gay notoriety within the genre of GANGSTA RAP. It broke down hiphop to its audience as a generally homophobic industry and anchored the meat of its story around the shock value of a boy from OTARA south Auckland, openly gay, out the closet and making music about his Pacific Gay experience.

As a lover of HIPHOP and a Polly Gay, I was taken back by the notion of a gay rapper and kind of relieved that in 2011 there was a kid out there with the balls to speak some truth. This blog has always been about the visibility of the Gay Pacific identity within my own back yard. Of course it seemed to make sense to me to get an interview with POPE BRON$.

We shot this about 2 months ago out in OTARA one afternoon.  Pope Bron$ adresses 'The Gay Scene', Comming Out and his music.. Enjoy the first video created for JERRY THE FAF.



THANKS TO POPE BRON$