Strutting their Stuff

Sometimes when I go to an art gallery, I’ll rent those audio tour cassette players with the headphones. I do feel like a dork, especially when I forget that I’m wearing them and accidentally shout at the person I’m with. But it’s definitely a good way to get more information out of an exhibit. I didn’t have to wear the headphones yesterday when I got a private tour of the "Conner Contemporary Art" gallery.

The gallery, located on Florida Avenue NE in D.C., is in a beautiful space and on a Wednesday afternoon, we had the whole place to ourselves. I went with my friend Megan to see the exhibit “Anyone Other Than Me” by former D.C. resident Jeremy Kost.

Kost is known as "the Polaroid artist" on the New York circuit and he's photographed club kids in places all over the world. I knew Megan was familiar with the New York scene but I had no idea she’d actually know the people in the Polaroids. I got the inside scoop on Ericka Aviance, Amanda Lepore, and Half Nelson - drag queens and club kids who know how to strut their stuff.

I liked Kost's "collages" the best. It seems like a challenge to determine which shots to take in order to build such a free-flowing collage. I used to take Polaroids of my friends when they came to my apartment. I’d make them put on a wig from my collection because I liked seeing how people’s attitudes changed once they’re wearing a wig. I read that Kost wants his audience to evaluate the artistic and societal roles their "attitudes play in the cycle of desire, opportunity, and attainment.” I wonder how my old Polaroids would fit into his exhibit.