Pony Boy Black's Summer Days and Nights

Pony Boy Black aka  Michael David Quattlebaum Jnr. has been engaged with performance art since the age of 15 when he formed the P.I.C.E.T Performance art collective and staged various pieces; "Paper doll Psychology", " Rosemary is for Remembrance" " Religica" "Gluttony" and " Danse" at the Art Space Gallery Raleigh N.C. He has since exhibited works at the Black & White Gallery and Terrence Koh's gallery Asia Song Society in New York and has published work in BUTT magazine and is currently studying at Parsons New School for Design. Whilst living in a huge warehouse squat in Chicago with eleven people, he took a series of images that are the results of,"when you combine summer drugs and flesh" and thus becomes a "gay day dream."

Dazed Digital: What's the story behind this "wild day that turned into a wild night"?
Michael David Quattlebaum Jnr: Jesse had just gotten back from California with his friend Carlos who plays in punk bands, Teo had spent the night at my house and when we heard the boys were back in town we all naturally met up. At the time my room was painted bright pink and it was called "the sissy den". We all got pretty wasted and played dress up, I got out my camera and started manically taking pictures because I needed something to do besides just walk around outside wet in our underwear eating candy. Whats funny is that right near the warehouse, weird shit had been going on - that area is known for being a place where female hookers take their johns but other shit had happened days before. This weird group of middle aged white men had rented a space just down the block and we could hear them chanting and playing drums at like 7pm. Then one of my roomates - NOT JOKING - found a dead BABY GOAT on the side of our warehouse....whats a baby goat doing in the middle of an industrial corridor? So there was something odd in the air that week.

DD: What is your background as a photogapher?
MDQ: Well I love taking photos, I approach it the same way as I do when making my art- it's not a question of "will these be good, will these get attention will these impress, no, its a matter of - " Am I communicating what I'm trying to express in the best way possible? and if something is of quality then i think " hey maybe other people will like this" their are alot of freaks and beautiful weirdos in this world. I'm a visual artist, I do scupltural installation and painting and really theatrical performance stuff but in New york since i just moved here it's been harder to find a space to really do a performance in.

DD: What other photographers do you admire?
MDQ: I love Lieko Shiga and Harmony Korine's photographs.
 
What's...
...so special about you...
That I might be the reincarnation of the American Beat poet Bob Kaufman - Kaufman was black and Jewish, I'm black and Jewish, Kaufman died in January of 1986, I was born in April of 1986. Kaufman's most famous poem is titled "Second April" my actual birthdate in real life is April 2nd 1986, Kaufman lived in both the South and San Francisco, I was raised in the South and San Francisco, Kaufman went to the New School, I go to the New School..... FUCKING WEIRD RIGHT?

...your worst vice...
being too sensitive

...better - analog or digital?...
As long as you say what your trying to say, either goes.

...your favourite piece of clothing...
My Yves Saint Laurent tee shirt that I stole from the boutique when I was 18 and homeless - no joke.

...the world coming to...
Hopefully the world will turn into a Gregg Araki movie.

...the name of your hero...
My mother Deborah Butler.

...so great about your hero...
She's the only person who would sacrifice her life for me without question and I would do the same for her.

...next year going to bring...
I am going to work very hard, taking photos, painting, trying to find a place to do performances, make work thats not about sex, drugs and rock and roll but sex, drugs and shamanism.

...your worst fashion secret...
I am AWFUL about changing my socks

How would you describe your work...
I make art to say whats in my head, what i can't say thats why when I become a rich sucessful artist my first solo exhibition is going to be called "Everything I've ever wanted to tell you".