ROLE PLAY by Laurel PosakonyROLE PLAY aims to show drag in a more playful light. With posed por

ROLE PLAY by Laurel Posakony

ROLE PLAY aims to show drag in a more playful light. With posed portraits, I invite the viewer to take a closer look at drag and consider gender more as a playful and performative art rather than a hard science.

To conduct each shoot, I provided the drag queens with various props and instructed them pose and play however they chose. Natural performers, they had no problem finding dynamic ways to model their toys. I chose circular and round props for each of the queen because the round shape enhances the feminine presentation in the picture.

It was essential to me that I showcased diversity in my project. I worked with performers with a variety of gender identities. Additionally, each queen presented in the project has a drastically different style. Some young and grungy, some elegant and complex, and some downright terrifying. Drag’s inherent variety allowed me to capture images that display the vast interpretations of both gender and play.