Millennium Star – Transformation Case
Velvet, beads, photographs, reflective plastic, wallpaper, cardboard
32 x 13 cm, 8 cm tall – 12.5 x 5.1 inches, 3.14 inches tall
2022
Collection of Homografiska Museet, Fengersfors, Sweden
https://homografiska.se/samlingen/artefakt-0019
Millennium Star – Transformation Case portrays the transformation I go through to become my drag character Millennium Star. The work highlights every part of the transformation. During each stage, its opposite also exists, as can be seen in the mirrored reflection inside the box.
Millennium Star is a character with whom I approach feminine expressions, which we have many times been taught to turn away from to be taken seriously. They’ve has also been a way for me to explore a more fluid gender state.
A more thorough text on this work can be found below.
My drag character Millennium Star was created in 2012 when I made a video work where I commissioned a drag artist to transform me into a drag queen. The video shows the makeup and styling process in reverse, as it starts with two fully made-up queens and goes towards less and less makeup, until I’m completely without.
Millennium Star was and is a way for me to approach feminine expressions, which we have many times been taught to turn away from to be taken seriously.
With Millennium Star – Transformation Case, I want to portray the transformation I go through to become them, and at the same time highlight every part of the transformation. During each stage, its opposite also exists, as can be seen in the reflection inside the box.
The work is protected by a pink and leopard print textile, which can be placed over the pictures as a protection or be folded to let the box rest on top of it.
I have reflected on how liberating it felt to have access to colors and materials such as pink and clothes with leopard print, large jewelry, lots of makeup and other things that I had until then avoided to signal some kind of «seriousness.» I thereafter gave myself permission to wear such things in everyday life.
Other things that the Millennium Star character has given me is that I can take power from them and give to other parts of my life. They’ve has also been a way for me to explore a more fluid gender state.
Maria Norrman, Malmö 15/12 2022