Utica is by far, one of the most memorable queens from the Drag Race Empire. And has been hailed as one of the most talented and creative of designer of garments in the history of the franchise. Everything we witnessed was made by her and her lone, with campy, innovative and intricate designs the show had not seen. So it only be fitting she will be one of the first drag queens, beside the Queen herself, to have a whole exhibition devoted to her work and design.
Utica and the Rochester Art Center are partnering to host "Homecoming Queen", a 4,000 square foot exhibition showcasing the artwork and high fashion of the former RuPaul's Drag Race contestant. While Utica is an incredibly charismatic performer, what truly sets her apart and elevates her craft is the fact that she conceives, designs and sew her own looks, which I hear are at near Alexander McQueen levels of inspiration, creativity and artistry. I would love to get to this showing...and I'd take Uptonking with me!!! To my knowledge though, this is the first ever showing that positions a drag performer as a visual artist via their garments handmade by them.
Known for her fashion-forward style, Homecoming Queen will feature around 20 or more of mannequins dressed in Utica's most evocative looks, seen on the show and off. Works also include original design sketches, large editorial photographs and a 10 minute film of her background.
Originally from Utica, which inspired her name, Utica has stayed connected with her small town roots through her wholesome and unique style. Discovering his knack for costume design at Hamline University and then went on to find his niche in the Twin Cities drag community. She has always been on the drag circuit even before his Drag Race roots, and became a break out hit on the show, and getting featured in Vogue itself. Utica hopes since the show features elements of everything from fashion and photography to queer culture and gender expression, it is hoped this exhibition serves as a catalyst for many meaningful conversations, especially LGBTQ issues in the community. To dive further into the world of Utica, the Rochester Art Center is also offering a ticketed virtual experience that will allow fans and fashion lovers from all over the world to join in the experience through an online gallery. The exhibition and tickets open December 4 and runs through April 3, 2022. Tickets and Rochester Art Center infohere.
AOC'S Tax the Rich dress got remixed! I say tax then both!!!! It time for Washington to grow balls and start taxing the churches in addition to the very rich. Taxing religious institutions would generate between 60 -100 billion a year, enough to do many things with, like provide every student in the US with a free college education if they would go off to further education.
Churches also buy, own, and hold property, putting up signs that say "future home of" Then they turn around and sell it at a huge profit with NO TAXES PAID. Fair? I say it's time to tax the churches. Tax the mega churches, the religious empires and the very fishy and cult like tele-evangelists and the like. The overwhelming number of churches and worship centers are modest centers of community and support that contribute untold service ...and then there are the bloodsuckers.
I don't have anything against religion personally. But it is rather like a cock. It's fine to have one and it's ok to be proud of it. But please don't whip it out in public and never try to shove it down other peoples throats, without their consent. Just saying if Washington would tax not only the rich more, and churches , even just 5% we could even give universal healthcare for all.
Drag queen, queer, trans, drag king...if any of these terms interest you, you'll want to see the documentary A Night at Switch N Play, that flows and examines the Brooklyn based drag and burlesque collective, who seem to be a bunch of loving and lively misfits who have found each other and have created one of the best acts outside Manhattan. I have seen them several times, and there shows are not to be miss. From the hottest milk man routine you'll see from drag king K James, or a giant stripping Twinkie from Divina GranSparkle, to a terrifying fetish dentist in rubber gloves, spitting loose teeth into the audience by Nyx Nocturne. The performances range from laugh out loud funny to characters worthy of a horror movie, but even the edgiest personas have a message.
K James
Miss Malice
Switch and Play and it's array of performers has won the title of Best Burlesque Show four years running...and the documentary makes clear that the artist are interested in moving forward with both drag and burlesque, subverting many of the assumptions one might have about both genres. In addition, they stress the feeling that everyone in the room- performers and audience, are in a safe place where they can do some exploring, subverting and defying the rules of social acceptability, while being seriously entertained...Burlesque can be sexy, sad, hilarious, grotesque, and tender.
Divina GranSparkle
Nyx Nocturne
Vigor Mortis
Pearl Harbor.
Yes!!!!! I need my smelling salts!!!! CROCS!
Zoe Ziegfeld
But the best part of this group for me is their diverse group of acceptance, and the crossing the spectrum of the LGBTQ...the kinship is on full display in the docu, which tells each members story, and features footage of their subversive and captivating acts. Like I said, drag king K James could take his sexy milkman striptease on the road and singlehandedly save the dairy industry. Or the high glam and retro, bio queen Miss Malice...who is the femmecee of their shows. Divina Gran Sparkle grew up Muslim, moved around a lot in her youth, living in four different countries and seven cities before she was 18. Once in NYC, it took six years of gigs for her to find a place to call home and a place that would accept her outlandish acts of a woman doing a drag. That home was the old timey honky- tonk bar in Prospect Heights where she first performed with the drag collective in 2015.
Miss Malice with Sasha Velour
The troupe is rounded out by Drag King, K James. Miss Malice, the groups bio queen femmecee, drag/bulesque "queerdo" Nyx Nocturne, drag artist, Pearl Harbor, nonbinary drag king Vigor Mortis, and the snake charmer-stage kitten Zoe Ziegfeld, and sometime rounding out the group are performances with the legendary Sasha Velour and Louisiana Purchase. While it might be the common goal of producing the most outrageous show in the city, it's their lewd, unhinged theatrics that have led them to real life epiphanies.
Their bonds transcend the work. Watching the film you get the sense that their self assurance and audacity were hard won- that after so much time peering in from the outside of the LGBTQ community looking in, where acceptance wasn't always easy. but now they are all accepting and they're now thriving on the inside. It's like they've finally found all their people from their spaceship. Makes me wonder why this group can make it work, yet as a community we can't accept all? Long live Switch N" Play
And their show from 2020- Vamp. I am obsessed with Miss Malice, always have been, but her performance of Dream a Little Dream of Me got me.
