For our second issue (newly re-named "Velour"), we explored the history and meaning of "realness" — from gender illusionists and the Harlem ball scene to the "real" and surreal drag arts of today. Drag, it seems, is both imitation and transformation, performance and truth. The diverse body of work, by over 25 artists, explores the ways in which drag utilizes "the real" for radical thought and self-expression.
Cover by Sophie McMahan
Sasha Velour, Artistic Director | Johnny Velour, Editorial Director
Book photos by Andrew Atiya. Hands by Miss Malice.