Description
A tribute to the groundbreaking drag elders who helped pave the way for the queens of todayDrag has officially transcended the underground and exploded into the mainstream. Queens have more media representation than ever-in film, television, music, fashion, and advertising. They're everywhere. But how did we get here? It didn't simply happen through the popularity of one TV show, but over decades of perseverance, hard work, and intergenerational support within local drag communities. It's time to honor the queens who paved the way for the new generation of drag and are still carrying out their work today. Legends of Drag is both a photo book and archive of living drag history. Presenting 80 portraits of these American drag elders alongside anecdotes from their lives, this book provides a queer historical framework with which to consider their work and its cultural contributions. Each portrait is styled with floral elements and has been shot in locations that hold special significance to the local drag community.
About the Author
Harry James Hanson is a genderqueer artist, creative director, and lifelong drag performer based in Brooklyn. For the past five years they have run a commercial photography studio, and their independent work has been published in the New York Times, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, New York magazine, Vice, and Dazed, among others. Devin Antheus is a floral stylist, spirit worker, and writer who lives in San Francisco. They are the founder of Temple of Dionysos, which hosts regular public rituals in the Bay Area. They teach classes on floral design, ancient Mediterranean mystery traditions, and queer spiritualities. Their writing has been published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, the New Inquiry, through Contagion Press, and the astrology app Co-Star. They are co-editor of the anthology Queer Ultraviolence (Ardent Press).
Reviews
"Harry James Hanson and Devin Antheus's beautifully designed photography book, Legends of Drag, is a tribute to 79 legendary drag elders who paved the way for the new generation of drag . . . The subjects of these profiles are both inspiring and funny." * Shelf Awareness *starred* review *
"Through its attention to archiving drag history and capturing the precious and fleeting moments with our queer elders, Legends of Drag will go down in history itself. It is essential reading, and in this day and age, when LGBTQ+ literature, chronicles, and history are being banned, this book is more important than ever." * Bust Magazine *
"Legends of Drag: Queens of a Certain Age grabs and brings your heart along for a wildly beautiful ride with the descriptions of Devin and Harry's time with these queens. The documentation and retelling of this journey is profoundly important work, and this book understands that through and through." * Bleeding Cool *
Book Information
ISBN 9781419758478
Author Harry James Hanson
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Abrams
Publisher Abrams
About the Author
Harry James Hanson is a genderqueer artist, creative director, and lifelong drag performer based in Brooklyn. For the past five years they have run a commercial photography studio, and their independent work has been published in the New York Times, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, New York magazine, Vice, and Dazed, among others. Devin Antheus is a floral stylist, spirit worker, and writer who lives in San Francisco. They are the founder of Temple of Dionysos, which hosts regular public rituals in the Bay Area. They teach classes on floral design, ancient Mediterranean mystery traditions, and queer spiritualities. Their writing has been published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, the New Inquiry, through Contagion Press, and the astrology app Co-Star. They are co-editor of the anthology Queer Ultraviolence (Ardent Press).
Reviews
"Harry James Hanson and Devin Antheus's beautifully designed photography book, Legends of Drag, is a tribute to 79 legendary drag elders who paved the way for the new generation of drag . . . The subjects of these profiles are both inspiring and funny." * Shelf Awareness *starred* review *
"Through its attention to archiving drag history and capturing the precious and fleeting moments with our queer elders, Legends of Drag will go down in history itself. It is essential reading, and in this day and age, when LGBTQ+ literature, chronicles, and history are being banned, this book is more important than ever." * Bust Magazine *
"Legends of Drag: Queens of a Certain Age grabs and brings your heart along for a wildly beautiful ride with the descriptions of Devin and Harry's time with these queens. The documentation and retelling of this journey is profoundly important work, and this book understands that through and through." * Bleeding Cool *
Book Information
ISBN 9781419758478
Author Harry James Hanson
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Abrams
Publisher Abrams
