Turnin’ It!: The Art & Culture of Drag

Herron Galleries

About the exhibition

Drag is the symbolic use of clothing to represent behaviors and characteristics associated with a gender or persona. Gender roles are social and behavioral norms that constituted our culture’s influence of identity and gender. When drag is worn by a person of the opposite sex, it challenges gender as a performance of the qualities one idolizes. Drag queens are men who use exaggerated costume, lip-syncing and dance to satire commonly held gender roles and blurring the distention of female and male. Turnin’ It! The Art and Culture of Drag features contemporary photography, costume and artifacts that challenge the cultural stereotypes of two genders and the notion of identity.

Featuring contemporary photography by Alix Smith and Deni Chamberlin with costume and artifacts from the Asia LaBouche, Alana Steele, Indy Bag Ladies along with photographs and videos from the Bob and Margaret Green Collection.

This exhibition was the product of a graduate program internship.