Renowned photographer Magnus Hastings has launched an “one-of-a-kind” exhibition in Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery called “Queen”. The exhibition features photographs taken of some of the biggest names from the international drag scene, including Jinkx Monsoon and Shea Coulee. What’s really drawing the crowds, however, is the back-alley images of local Liverpool drag queens commission specifically for the exhibition.
Hastings describes the exhibition not just being about a TV show but about the art of drag, one that has always inspired him since he was a child. He is vocal about not wanting to photograph people simply because they’ve been on Drag Race, but instead gets his inspiration from those who inspire him.
The said photos of local queens have been praised for championing the diversity within the drag community that has been overlooked on platforms like Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Hastings hopes the exhibition will educate people about alternative drag styles, and showcase that there’s more to drag than the glamorized hyper-feminine image that many associate it with.
One of the featured local queens, Pretentious Dross, says there’s a common misconception that drag is just about performing in hyper-feminine gowns, wigs and make-up and that Hastings’s images illustrate how there are many ways to do drag. The back-alley photos feature the local queens in their everyday natural habitat, offering a raw and intimate portrayal of the lives of those who live and breathe the drag art form.
“Queen by Magnus Hastings” is set to run from 27 July to 25 August 2024
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