Pascal Bovey Photography

Metamorphosis – die Faszination der Verwandlung

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Metamorphosis takes the viewer into the world of the Variétés, travesty and Drag Queens. The exhibited portraits show the Metamorphosis, in other words the transformation of the artist in his artistic character. Every artist was photographed twice: on the first portrait he can be seen as man, on the second one after the fascinating transformation as the portrayed woman. Metamorphosis shows the viewer how, with a lot of talent and make-up, the illusion becomes reality. 

Metamorphosis is a comprehensive project that was first exhibited at Photobastei in Zürich in June 2018. 

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I am fascinated by the transformation that the drag artists are going through, how they transform their faces and appearances for the observer to a complete new person.

15 different artists were portrayed for this project: Goss Ipa, Jazzmin Dian Moore, Vicky Goldfinger, Milky Diamond, France Delon, Jeff van Phil, Odette Hella’Grand, Effi Mer Delamaskis, Vanessa la Wash, Carrie 666, Tessa Testikel, Stella Divine, Eva Detox, Petra, Pia Spatz. They perform on a regular basis in Zürich, Luzern, Basel, Lausanne and in Germany. Both professional and amateur artists are represented. The portraits were taken between July 2017 and April 2018. 

I find it very interesting to compare both portraits at the same time. At first, you think that you see two different persons. A man and a woman. When you look at the pictures more closely, you realize that the characteristics of the physiognomy are the same: eyes, cheekbones, nose. One face ist natural and the other is transformed with a lot of work and art. You see how much talent and time are necessary to create the illusion.

The double portraits are accompanied by personal statements of the artists. These statements show that they are transforming themselves for many different reasons: one of them qualifies as a lady-impersonator and cabaret artist; another one created her character to help the Zürich Aids-Hilfe; a third one because he wants to live her feminine side. A lot of artists are transforming because they love to make a show. Most of them also want to promote tolerance and diversity through their art. 

I photographed most of the artists as men at first. They came into the studio and they would then transform after we did the first part of the shooting. I witnessed the transformation, which needs at least one to two hours, and was able to capture  very interesting black and white pictures, too. I also could photograph more backstage pictures at Heaven’s Drag Race edition in September 2017 in Zürich.

A video installation ist also showed in the exhibition, which gives a voice and interactivity to the portraits. Furthermore, my interview « Confessions of a Drag Queen » that I made with Jazzmin Dian Moore is shown. In this interview Jazzmin gives the visitor a very private and up close insight of her life as a Drag Queen in Switzerland.

The goal of my exhibition is to present the Drag Queen scene to a broader audience, in order to promote important values like diversity, tolerance and acceptance in the whole society.  Still in 2018, this remains very important in Switzerland. 

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I am still following the project with the aim of realizing a book.

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