Nancy Manocherian’s the cell theatre (Artistic Director Kira Simring) presents its first residency of 2021, Life Is Drag, an exhibition showcasing the video portraits of Rachel Rampleman. Exploring subjects such as gender, artifice, and spectacle, Rampleman documents the most innovative and singular performers of the currently exploding international alt-drag and burlesque scenes, a portion of which have been filmed throughout the pandemic at the cell’s space on West 23rd Street. Opening February 13th on the Gallery Floor, this exhibit is free and open to the public. Patrons are required to follow all city-mandated COVID-19 precautions including mandatory mask-wearing, limited capacity, filling out a contact-free survey for symptoms and potential exposure, and a digital temperature check upon entry.

Rachel Rampleman utilizes processes ranging from directorial to curatorial to anthropological to showcase exuberantly irrepressible personalities who revel in challenging clichés associated with masculinity and femininity. A sampling of subjects featured in Life Is Drag include Girls Girls Girls (the world’s first and only all-female Mötley Crüe tribute band), Tazzie Colomb (the world’s longest competing female bodybuilder), and LACTIC Incorporated (an avant-garde clothing brand that takes the detritus of corporate life and reinterprets it into one-of-a-kind structural garments that challenge the polarization of gender)…as well as drag and burlesque, stars Untitled Queen, Fem Appeal, Darlinda Just Darlinda, C’etait BonTemps, Chartruice, Mimi Silk, Dick TransDyke, JAX, Robyn Edges, Sham Payne, Just JP, Stixen Stones, Kiara Chimera, Barbie Crash, Bunny Wonderland, Robin from Human Resources, Geo Soctomah Neptune, Jayden Jamison, Mike Hawk, Arabella LaDessé, Bender Bluefish, and Zayn-X.

LIFE IS DRAG includes more than 4 hours of video featuring over 60 artists from all around the globe. Rampleman plans to create nearly 40 more video portraits during her residency and incorporate many of those into the exhibition. (above pic Robyn Edges by Rachel Rampleman)

Rachel Rampleman:

“My long-term goal is to continue to do a series of such residencies nationally and internationally, which will allow me to create portraits of drag artists from a wide variety of areas, backgrounds, cultures, ages, etc. Each portrait includes video of the drag artist performing (lip-synching, singing, telling stories, dancing, etc.) in addition to interview documentation, and will become part of an online archive as well be presented at a wide variety of art and non-art venues.”

The Cell, 338 W. 23rd Street, NYC, 646- 861-2253, February 13-March 28, More Info and Tix HERE.