An Intimate Look at Today’s Drag Scene

When photography student Ardelle Schneider began to take pictures of the Cologne, Germany drag scene in spring 2019, little did she know that she would be introduced to a world in which people freely develop and reinvent themselves.

This resulted in her creating a photobook titled Butterflies and Caterpillars, which gives an intimate insight into today’s drag culture.

“The photographic examination deals, among other things, with the meaning of identity and the construction of a self apart from gender-specific role expectations,” Schneider explains. “Over a long period of time, the protagonists were accompanied in their everyday life and photographed in private moments, as well as during their performances. In addition to the act of transformation, the duality of man is addressed, which is determined by the image of self-design and the image of the outside. Does clothing change our behavior and how much does it reveal something from the inside out? How does outward appearance affect how we appear to others? What is behind all the layers?”

To Schneider, the medium of photography serves as a means of revealing the intricacies of the character hidden behind the loud masquerade. It was important for her to maintain the intimacy that can be felt in the images when presenting the photographic work.

“The insight into the community, which goes hand in hand with closeness and sensitivity, and the emergence of the vulnerable being that hides behind the masquerade is based on a trust between me, as the portrayer, and the portrayed,” she says. “The feel of the book gives it a certain physicality. The viewer can feel, see, and smell the book. They hold it in their hands, go through it at their own pace, and will decide at what point they want to immerse themselves in the picture. The viewer remains undisturbed while looking at the pictures, it is an intimate moment in which an emotional exchange between the medium and the viewer takes place.”

One of the first drag figures Schneider met was a queen named Adora, who not only shared moments of her transformation but also her desires and concerns. She introduced the young photographer to Cologne’s drag scene, and the two walked together at the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade, a European version of Pride.

Several of the drag queens Schneider interacted with say their role models are from the U.S. and that they dream of having a bigger community in Germany. Therefore, Butterflies and Caterpillars also focuses on America’s drag scene.

“The drag community in Germany is quite small compared to the USA,” she says. “There are only a few LGBTQ events. When some of the drag queens told me that they dreamed of a larger community in Germany or in Cologne, I wanted to get to the bottom of the origins.”

Schneider got in touch with the Miami drag scene and connected with a queen named Opal.

“The scene there is much bigger and more present than in Germany,” she exclaims. “Opal introduced me to her friends, and within a short period of time, I felt the closeness and perceptiveness that existed in the community. It was a family-style network in which cohesion and mutual support play an important role. I was welcomed with open arms, made new friends, and I learned the meaning of the word identity on a new level. I accompanied Opal and her friends with my camera in their everyday lives and during their performances. I got to know them in intimate moments and in loud moments.”

In addition to shining a light on today’s drag culture, Schneider also hopes that Butterflies and Caterpillars will inspire people on an artistic level, change perspectives, raise questions, and offer reflection.

Throughout her photographic exploration of the drag community, she learned a lot about people and their impact on others.

“People present themselves more and more as they would like to be seen and perceived by the world,” she says. “This can be attributed to the reaction of fellow human beings, which is communicated very openly via social media. People are categorized, evaluated, and assigned according to their gender, appearance, and behavior. Accordingly, external appearance has an influence on the perception of others and consequently on one’s own behavior, albeit consciously or unconsciously. We are present in our bodies in the world. The concept of identity is a very comprehensive and ubiquitous one.”

With this photobook, Schneider does not want to give viewers moral instructions or show the suffering of the people being photographed.

“The work made me realize that there is so much more to discover and experience,” she explains. “It seems hidden, but if you look closely, it’s right in front of you. On one hand, the insight into the subculture brought me closer to the importance of the drag world and showed me the fun and passion of the respective people. On the other hand, I became aware of the dark side that the people struggle with. Discrimination and hostility towards queer people, especially trans people, are still very present and loud. For this reason, the project is not yet finished for me.”

Schneider hopes to offer the queer scene a platform to tell their story through photography.

“It doesn’t matter what color we are, what gender we are or not, what beliefs we have, or where we are from,” she says. “We live together as human beings, and we all have the right to be seen, heard, and respected.

Butterflies and Caterpillars was shortlisted for the Kassel Dummy Award in 2020 and will be published and printed by Kettler in Germany with a scheduled May 2022 release.

Stay up-to-date and connect with Schneider by following her on Instagram @ard.elle, or visit her official website, ardelleschneider.com.

Photos courtesy of Ardelle Schneider