Meet Gabriel Chetcuti | Multimedia Artist & Drag Performer – KLONN

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriel Chetcuti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriel Chetcuti, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I feel that my artistic practice – and by extension, my drag, has established a prominence within Malta’s queer community due to my commitment to my ‘absurdist’ aesthetic. I’d like to think my work presents itself in a way that is so amorphous and referentially ambiguous that many audiences can find a way to relate to it in some shape or form.

Ironically enough, dressing up, makeup and the exploration of gender identity were completely absent in my upbringing. This practice only manifested itself within the last 3-4 years, after I’d convinced myself that illustration and graphic design can also be applied to embellishing the self. I’d like to think that ‘stubbornness’ with a side of ‘having the courage of my convictions’ is what’s lead me to this point.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My artistic practice seeks to produce a ‘visual hagiography’ of KLONN and their supposed life experiences. I greatly enjoy juxtaposing themes that can be interpreted as seemingly mundane to something cryptic, and possibly a little sinister. These culminate into diverse performance pieces which seek to challenge our perceptions and the way we engage with the art of drag. My studio-based research practice hinges on the element of transformation, obfuscating any recognisable facial features through abstract makeup. I’d say I’m motivated by the challenge of directly translating character ideas from concept to completion as a fully realised tactile form. The role of drag is that of disruption, but also as a matchmaker for multiple disciplines that don’t necessarily link or communicate with each other.

I try not to put too much bearing on what it is to be a ‘successful’ drag artist, especially in Malta. As far as I’m concerned, we’re a bunch of crazy kids taking the high road in order to bring our audiences a little slice of the stories we want to tell and see in the community. I feel that people in general may have a narrow perception of what a drag artist (be it queen, king, thing, etc) is, and are therefore disconnected from the subversive, often alternate roots of this artform. This is especially true for say, institutions recognising drag as a valid art practice as opposed to simply believing in the ‘spirit’ of it. Then again, the fact that drag remains within this liminal space frees itself from this ‘system’ and rejects reinforcing these capitalist, and often systematic notions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d consider myself a terminal homebody, stowed away in my ivory tower mulling over the next absurd idea – however Café Society in Valletta has become a haunt for many a friend I for many reasons (their cocktails are probably at least five of those reasons). The biggest reason however, is our semi-regular cabaret style show – Queer Like Velvet. The intersection of dinner theatre and drag, Queer Like Velvet is simultaneously our soap box and grand stage, presenting a smorgasbord of queer talent.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would absolutely love to dedicate this article to my partner John, my lovely cast mates and crew at Saturgay and Queer Like Velvet, and everyone who’s collaborated and supported my silliness over the years.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsklonn/

Image Credits
Photography Credits (in order of upload): Jake Page Rob Golfeo Jake Page Maria Galea Kris Micallef Leo Chircop