George Kanis is a Greek visual artist, based in Athens/Greece, originally born and raised at Chios island. He is well known for his photographic work, although he also practices painting, video art, installations, etc. He was also involved with interior design and product design. But none of these mediums gave him the freedom to express his instincts. That gap photography and painting came to fill.
His aesthetic have not changed through the years but his work evolves like a growing organism and it always depends on desires that need to be nurtured and fed. For him art offers the ability to make chaos and freedom coexist in harmony . He is known for his nude portraits of the people of the subculture scene of Athens and his experimental\abstract work. He employs a raw , brutal art style in order to emphasise on primal feelings during the photo shoots. He proudly explore questions of gender, class and sometimes race, mostly in Greek society.
“I got involved with photography through my high schools years and start spending many hours in the dark room, I immediately felt in love with this medium and I still am.” -Geroge … Go on and enjoy his company and amazing pictures.
Athens is often called the cradle of European culture. Now, in 2020, how would you describes Athens?
I would like to think of Athens that still keeps this reputation high and it will be timeless, It’s not the city of Athens itself but the greek people. Especially the young people are the most honest and most creatures in numbers. The underground scene here is one of the most authentic left in Europe. We may don’t have the support needed, and our locals artists may not have the financial support that they need in order to promote their ideas or their projects but still it’s unbelievable the level of creativity you find in Athens.
Did you always know photography was your ultimate go-to outlet of expression?
To be totally honest to that, no not all! I always thought it would be my hobby something that makes me smile now and then. But through social media this story changed completely, people start showing more interesting in pictures than anything other.
So I thought let’s give it and try and see what happens.
Currently you working on your project D.T.S. What is that about?
I created the project “Death to Symbols” to depict the severance of human beings from nature, where the primordial womb of the world is the all inclusive being. Without discrimination, with full on acceptance. My photos usually are taking place in the urban environment, a place mostly cemented, cold, technological, purely patriarchal. There the bodies are depict, striped from civilization, they return in a primal age when everything belong to a pre-conscious stage where everything is accepted, where the social judgment doesn’t have a place. For me, human beings are not the providers of the call ration but the embodiment of collation. My subjects are symbols carrying the designation that society assigned to them. But, my photo set is an environment where they can shake off the “acquired” and present their truth. Each and every single one of them with their own personal way. “Death to symbols” is the confirmation of the return of the unfiltered nature were the desire Is a subject only to Itself and doesn’t abide to laws and rules.
What is the best thing to being a photographer?
Certainly the interaction you get with people, how you see them, how you represent them and how you feel relate with them and with the final image you get out of this. Photography sets you free and most of all seen ! How you use this powerful medium nowadays it’s always on your choice. We all have access to a camera even though our smartphones, and more and more people uses them more often than the past. Even let’s say if you take a picture of a flower or a monument that most probably millions of people would have take the same picture with you, it’s never the same. It’s your own personal picture, its your happy/sad memory of that and it’s the way you see it, it’s very personal and really emotional process.
What is your relationship with the guys you photograph? Do you keep the conatct with some of them?
Almost with everyone. Most of them are friends of mine, few of them my lovers and some others just people I really like and I can feel related or attracted of what I see/feel.
How do you choose the topic of your next session, how do you prepare yourself for shootings?
In reality the photos are being edited during the photo shoot. Their raw, their gritty and real.
So I am almost never prepared. I always have many thoughts in my head but I never know before the moment of the actually photo shooting how I feel or I can relate and if any of my thoughts are actually working at that moment, you can say almost all of my work its primal.
You shooting outdoor and studio too. Which one you prefer more?
I tend to do studio photography less and less through the years if I am right I haven’t been done any studio photography the past 2 years maybe more. So definitely outdoor shooting suits me best . Even my “studio” like work is just with natural light facing the sky or a wall.
Do you consider yourself more naughty or nice?
Hmm… none of those I believe are accurate representing a person. The true is somewhere in the middle. I have my romantic periods that I feel I am a really nice and welcome person, I have my moments of breakdown etc. ect… I also have my long periods of being naughty and super kinky and all I care is to party and have fun. So let’s say I am 50/50 of both.
What are your memories of your first night with a guy?
It was super awkward! It was all the way wrong but as I try to recall it brings me happy memories.
We don’t need to improvise anything through sex, just be you , be normal (based on what normal feels for you) and enjoy your sex and your body as you truly desire. Sometimes it would be really bad and awkward when you are trying new stuff but its super healthy to be like that, we have to stop worry around sex. Sex is normal, sex is happiness, thats the memory I want to keep from that first night.
What are your ideas about what being beautiful means?
Beauty is being you. Being authentic and being honest to yourself and to everyone. Everything is beautiful and at the same time ugly and that makes it even more precious and most beautiful than ever.
Aside of photography, what are your hobbies/passion?
I mostly paint nowadays , and doing some videos now and then . My hobbies are mostly watchings movies and reading books (very cliche I know , but thats me haha)
Please finish the sentences:
Deeply in love with … almost everything .
Your next tattoo going to be … I am thinking maybe a sketch of mine but I haven’t really made my mind yet .
My fetish is … well well I have to say once again almost everything haha. Mostly I enjoy being a dominant bottom guy.
Photographed by: George Kanis @georgekanis
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