Queens of the Scene – From 29 to 31 March 2019, the exhibition Queens of the Scene with photographs by Tatjana Rüegsegger will be shown at the art space Kein Museum in Zurich. The photographs show Zurich’s drag queens behind the scenes in a documentary fashion far from the glitz and glam of their shows. The exhibition is accompanied by an installation and performance by the well-known Zurich drag queen Milky Diamond and a round-table discussion she has compiled.

Imagine someone is coming at you - suppose you are a heterosexual woman - saying: "You are straight? No, that doesn't exist. You're not into men, you're into women." Drag has become socially acceptable: The subculture of queers and drags has blown up the boundaries of the club scene for the LGBTQI* community and conquered Zurich's nightlife. Drag is an attitude to life and entertainment - an art form independent of sexuality, gender definition or other categories. Yet people in the community are still confronted with prejudices, marginalized or pigeonholed and not taken seriously.

Despite the strong presence of drag queens in the nightlife and the art world, one question remains unanswered: What does it look like behind the scenes, far away from the show? Have you ever wondered who the person behind the dazzling alter ego is?

The series Queens of the Scene by Swiss photographer Tatjana Rüegsegger shows the drag queens of Zurich from a different, unknown angle. For it is a superficial idea of drag that has manifested itself in the minds of society. just like ideas of gender roles and definitions exist that must be broken down. Rüegsegger opens the way: Without make up and in natural form - at least at the beginning - very different men are presented in their preparation and transformation phase into drag queens. Away from red lips, colorful eye shadow and provocative outfits, Tatjana Rüegsegger photographs the drag queens in simple, expressive black-and-white photographs. The abstinence of the color in the photographs enables a sincere insight into the people and allows the viewer to exchange ideas at eye level - without stage or high heels and with a depth that inspires reflection.

In order to link Tatjana Rüegsegger's photographs to the otherwise colorful performances of the drag queens we are used to, Milky Diamond will use the window of the exhibition room to put her drag queen make up on during the opening night. (Text: Raffaela Kolb)

Press
RCKSTR Mag, March 2019
Züri Tipp, Thursday, March 28, 2019
Tagblatt, Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Vice, Wednesday, March 27, 2019