Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Swartz.
Michael, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My work today consists of a lot of self-portraits of myself in drag, or series consisting of other drag queens, but growing up I was very sheltered. I was always an artist from as early as I can remember. I used to draw all day every day. When I was in middle school I started playing around with point and shoot cameras and submitting my work to county fairs. It was when I got to college that I met my first drag queen and absolutely fell in love and realized that’s what I wanted to take pictures of. I was always trying to push boundaries (i.e. putting horns on my friend’s heads in photos etc.) but seeing drag queens was like a dream come true as an artist! I was overwhelmed with inspiration. I got into makeup when I was in college as well so I could do the makeup for some of my shoots and that’s how I got into drag. It was years of watching and learning before I did it myself. And here we are now.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
For a really long time I’ve considered myself a feminist, and also someone who believes in equal rights for everyone. In my work I aim to shoot as many varieties of people as possible. The more diverse the better. I want to create a message of love and strength. So even though a lot of times I am shooting a man dressed as a woman, she is the one in charge. In my photos the men are never in charge. They represent strong women! I want people to look at my work and think wow that’s a beautiful person regardless of the color of their skin, their gender, or their sexuality.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
I wish I hadn’t let things get in the way of creating my work. For a while I had a lot of excuses for why I couldn’t work on projects and I regret not putting all of my heart into my work because that’s what drives me.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I typically have a few arts shows a year! I have my work being displayed at Tufts Health Center in Watertown for Pride in June. But I also display my work all over social media.
Tumblr: michaelcswartz.tumblr.com
Instagram: @michaelcharlesmcqueen
@pamelamandersonx
Facebook: Pamela Manderson
Contact Info:
- Address: 124 Brooks St
- Website: Michaelcswartz.tumblr.com
- Phone: 6177562115
- Email: michaelcswartz@gmail.com
- Instagram: @michaelcharlesmcqueen
- Facebook: Facebook.com/dressmeinsin
- Other: Instagram @pamelamandersonx
Image Credit:
Rockstar wigs, Kimberly Smallz Labeija, Jacob Ladder, Kindra Meyer, Digna Shei, Elizabeth James, Stephen LaMonica, Ysabella Chorizo, Jiggly Caliente, Phi Phi O’Hara, Rich Kelly, Malcolm Dye
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