Simon Chang presents Drag Queens at the TAM-TAM Street Gallery
We are pleased to announce that Ljubljana-based documentary photographer Simon Chang, one of the 15 participants of the Photography Empowerment masterclass with Susan Meiselas, is presenting a peek into his longstanding project on drag queens, ongoing since 2021, at the TAM-TAM Street Gallery on Vegova from 1 December 2023. With the Drag Queens photo series, Chang invites passers-by to consider the unique story of each featured queen, to see beyond their dazzling exteriors and (re)discover this remarkable group of free-spirited individuals.
Simon Chang, a multi-award-winning documentary photographer based in Ljubljana, highlights the stories of people whose voices are rarely heard. The story of the Drag Queens exhibition at the TAM-TAM Street Gallery dates back to 2021 when the Taipei-born photographer began documenting Ljubljana's drag scene. This was at a time when no one knew when the COVID-19 pandemic would subside, while the weekly protests against the conservative government in Ljubljana had been going on for over a year. Armoured police and tear gas on the streets created a nerve-wracking tension in Slovenian society – it felt as if something precious was gradually being torn apart and divided.
The first performance of Dragoslavia took place on 2 October 2021 at Metelkova. On stage, heavily made-up queens wowed with gaudy wigs; under the stage, the audience was forced to wear masks. "In these strange and uncertain times, as a photographer, always curious about other people's stories, I deeply longed to discover emotions and images in their original state," Chang wrote.
He began to spend time with this remarkable group of new friends, capturing the behind-the-scenes moments that audiences cannot witness first-hand. It was this intimate backstage experience that marked the beginning of his journey to get to know these drag queens:
"I am grateful for the opportunity to experience these sisters and their sophisticated 'protest movement' in which they deeply believe. In a world that is increasingly divided and tribal, the Slovenian drag queens have warmly embraced my curiosity and desire to learn more about their stories. I look forward to inviting curious eyes to focus on each individual's unique story, see behind the queens' dazzling exteriors and (re)discover this remarkable group of free-spirited individuals. No matter how turbulent and bleak the world we live in may seem, in the end, everything dances," Chang wrote of the exhibition.
Simon Chang also presented and refined his long-term drag queen project this spring at the Photography Empowers masterclass, led by internationally renowned American photographer Susan Meiselas together with photography experts Lydia Matthews and Luciana Pinchiero.
On the occasion of Simon's exhibition at the TAM-TAM Street Gallery, we at the Jakopič Gallery would like to extend our gratitude to the U.S. Embassy Ljubljana and Her Excellency Jamie Lindler Harpootlian, the United States Ambassador to Slovenia, for their support of the masterclass.