Three questions for Caterina Franci. She photographed the beginnings of the Rennes drag scene. With a curious and caring look at the singularity of each identity.
You are offering an original exhibition after following drag queens for two years. Where did this idea come from?
I met a few drag queens while I was working in a thrift store in Rennes and I was already taking photos of them in the store. This is where the first drag show took place! I photographed the first performances, the first scenes. I admire their courage, they are incredibly bold and their message can reach everyone. It makes me feel good too, when they dare to take responsibility for themselves, it’s a catharsis. We feel a feeling of inner freedom.
They appreciate your work and your caring outlook. How do you work?
I want to make them visible, to magnify them, to bring to the forefront the fact that each person is unique. I knew the alternative artistic world in Italy, there, the LGBT community is much more hidden. In France, I was able to give free rein to my passion for photography of shows, taken from life, and it is rich: the costume, the dance, the interpretation, the music.
Do you have any other projects with drag queens?
Yes ! And I’m looking for patrons! I would like to create the 22 major arcana cards of the Tarot de Marseille in a drag-queen version. The cards represent complex universes, androgynous figures, charismatic mixtures. I worked on a first card, The Empress, with a technical team of ten people. I’m influenced by Mucha, Art Deco, illustrations from the 1920s and really, it lends itself to perfection!
Caterina Franci will be at the Hôtel Pasteur from May 16 to 22, 2024 to meet the public, during her exhibition. Contact: catsephotography.com and @caterinafranci_ph
