Cowboys and drag queens, the embodiment of modern day Americana, are natural partners for photographer Jane Hilton, who has captured both for a new exhibition and book. In her images, the freedom of the working cowboy, juxtaposed against the flamboyance of the drag queen, speaks to the liberty of both in a celebration of non-normative cultures.
Hilton, who is fascinated by topics teetering on the blurry line between legality and social acceptability, has in the past explored subjects including brothels in Nevada, gun clubs and wild animals performing in the circus. Here, she was inspired by John Huston’s 1961 film The Misfits for her raw, intimate portraits.
Recontextualisation is key for Hilton in exploring the multi-faceted nature of both cultures, working with drag artists who eschewed the bright, artificial light of nightclubs for the vast expanse of the desert. Adorned in Western-inspired clothes they created for the shoot, the results speak to the romanticism of cowboy culture, particularly poignant against Hilton’s contrasting photographs.
Shot on film, with a 4x5 plate camera, are authentic, working cowboys from the American West, from Texas to Nevada. Photographed in their own homes, surrounded by the paraphernalia of everyday life, there is a vulnerability usually absent from a traditional portrayal of cowboy culture.
The Cowboys & Queen US Tour by Jane Hilton starts at Freyboy Art Salon in Las Vegas from 27 March - 10 May. Followed by Los Angeles with FreyBoy Art Salon; Tulsa, Oklahoma at The Hulett Collection; and in New York at Palo Gallery. The tour has been organised by The Little Black Gallery London. The book can be purchased online from thelittleblackgallery.com
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