August 13th @ 8:00PM
PHOTOS OF NYC’S DRAG SCENE OF THE 1980s AND ‘90s
Linda Simpson, a shining star of NYC’s drag scene for almost 30 years, is thrilled be back at The Wild Project with an encore presentation of her-storical slideshow The Drag Explosion
All of the photos in The Drag Explosion were shot by Linda from the late 1980s to the mid ‘90s (back when it was rare to hobnob with a camera), and they reveal a golden age of NYC drag history. During this era the drag scene remarkably transformed from an underground art form into a pop-culture phenomenon. The photos capture wild nightlife, queer activism, and all sorts of colorful characters as they joyfully pushed the boundaries of gender expression. It’s an educational and entertaining her-story lesson!
This new presentation comes as Linda is featured in the new HBO documentary, “Wig,” about the legendary drag festival Wigstock (which is also profiled in The Drag Explosion).
Here’s what the press has to say about The Drag Explosion:
“The photos are alternately carefree and glamorous… A funny and informative slideshow.”—The New York Times
“In her gender-bending photographs, Simpson depicts a revolutionary generation that changed the world with every party.”—The Huffington Post
“The project is so natural, it feels more like a family album than a historical record.”—DangerousMinds
“Not only a celebratory tour through a bygone era of drag led by Simpson’s witty commentary, Drag Explosion is undoubtedly an important archive of an undeniably influential period of drag, performance and queer culture.”—FilthyDreams