An amateur photographer is striving to bring awareness to both Hong Kong’s drag and transgender communities with a photo exhibition featuring one of the city’s most loved drag queens.
Miss Cleo Moans – who incidentally hosted the Coconuts Hong Kong/Volume Beat Lip Sync Battle along with our editor Crystal Wilde back in May – is the focus of “Another Side of Me”, a photography series by Laura Simonsen.
On display at SoHo’s Voxfire Gallery for just three days from Oct. 30, the photos show the transformation of Simon into Cleo Moans.
Explaining that Cleo is not the first drag queen she’s photographed, CGI visualisation technician Simonsen says, “I am fascinated by their transformation, their energy, their exaggeration of expression and dramatic change in identity.”
But this isn’t necessarily a story about people who want to change who they are.
“For a man to dress in women’s clothes and wear makeup is a creative outlet of self-expression for performance reasons. It is not always because they want to become a female themselves, as the majority of drag queens are content with being a man,” says Simonsen.
“There is a link, however, and a mutual sense of support and admiration between the drag queen community and the transgender community. The purpose of this project is to celebrate and bring awareness to both communities.”
Proceeds from the sale of photographs and any donations will go directly to the Transgender Resource Centre, which uses community service, public education and advocacy to fight for transgender rights in Hong Kong.
The star of the show Simon, AKA Miss Cleo Moans, says, “Though, as a drag artist, I do not identify as trans, I certainly identify with the need to express who I am. The character that I portray as Cleo Moans allows me show another side of me. In drag, we feel a confidence because we are protected by the mask we wear.”
“But for trans people, they are not portraying a character. They are not performing. Being trans is real life – it is identity. And I completely admire the courage that it takes for trans people in Hong Kong, and all around the world, to become who they are meant to be.”
What: “Another Side of Me”: A photographic story by Laura Simonsen
When: 11am – 7pm Friday Oct. 30 to Sunday Nov. 1
Where: Voxfire Gallery, 1/F, 52 Gage Street (entrance on Aberdeen Street), Central. (Google Maps)
Price: FREE
Reader Interactions