Jean Harlow, Drag Queen Ball, Long Beach 1971

This photograph by Anthony Friedkin captures a portrait of a performer, named for Jean Harlow, at a drag ball in Long Beach. I am struck by the pose; the drag queen has lent against the wall. The hand, adorned with a large ring, is placed as if caught in the middle of a gesture of despair. The use of monochrome gives the image a classic, timeless feel. I wonder what Friedkin was thinking when they made this; perhaps they saw in this figure not just the outward performance of drag, but also something deeper about identity and expression. There is an undeniable theatricality, but also vulnerability in the image. The contrast between the glamour of the outfit and the somewhat world-weary expression creates a sense of tension, of worlds colliding. Friedkin reminds me how our own acts of expression, whether through painting or performance, are ways of making sense of ourselves and the world around us. We see our own experiences reflected back at us, offering new ways to interpret and understand our own histories and selves.