“I realized and witnessed how healing it was — particularly for adolescents,” said Simone Lawrence — a midwestern transplant who came to the east coast to study art therapy — about murals.
Lawrence, who graduated from Drexel University in July, worked with middle schoolers during her last practicum — supporting them as they processed aspects of their identity, including race and queerness, through art. Together, they created a mural about what it means for students to thrive in a school environment. The project, she explained, helped the kids feel more confident and secure. She hopes to continue working with teens as an art therapist.
But — at least for this week, she’s also focused on her upcoming art exhibit on Nov. 16, “The Coronation,” which explores the intersection of Black and queer identities by showcasing Black drag artistry in both fine art displays and a night of performances.
It’s the first show produced under Brotherly Love Arts Company, an arts and entertainment company founded by Lawrence to showcase how visual and performance art can be healing both for participants and viewers.
“I just feel like there aren’t enough spaces for us,” said Lawrence — who might be better recognized in queer nightlife spaces for producing and appearing in shows as her drag persona, Cyrus K. Stratton. “We’ve been around as Black drag kings for a long time, and there have been groups that have existed in Philadelphia for years — and yet I still think sometimes we go unrecognized.”
Lawrence, who is drawn to painting and portraits, said she’s looking forward to sharing this side of her art with the community and hopes to establish a more well-rounded artistic identity in Philadelphia.
“I think since being here, I’ve mostly built my persona [as] Cyrus — so I’m excited to showcase other talents and to showcase the beauty of painting,” she said about her contributions to the gallery — original acrylic portraits of the kings. “Combining aspects of my identity feels important to me and exciting for this showcase.”
Lawrence described portraits as “zoomed-in,” capturing especially fine details — such as an individual’s unique skin tone, wrinkles and makeup placement. These are aspects of people’s individuality and humanity people might not often notice.
“I just connect to faces,” she said. “There’s a lot of emotion in people’s eyes, in the way that they express themselves through their face — and it’s nice to share that, to share what I see in others.”
“I also feel like it’s beautiful to spend time with the person that I’m painting — and it’s part of why I’m doing this is to sort of put these drag artists on a pedestal, to really look at them for who they are,” Lawrence continued. “Spending hours on these individual portraits gives me an opportunity to really appreciate them and their craft.”
Photography by Gemini Mxr that captures moments from the kings’ previous performances as well as backstage candids will also be featured.
“My hope is that people buy them and frame them,” said Lawrence, who said the photos also create an archivable piece of history to show this specific time and place in Black, queer culture.
Costumes and props — including iconic pieces that are synonymous with specific artists or were part of winning performances at major competitions — will also be presented in museum-quality displays. Once this show wraps, Lawrence hopes some of the fine art will be displayed at galleries across the city.
Cultivating the event to combine fine art with a drag show affects the psychology of the space — reminding viewers to appreciate the craftsmanship of each aspect of the performance. Lawrence hopes attendees can connect drag art in a different way than they might at other venues — slowing down to notice details and artistry of the creations, which are often handmade, customized and specially selected for each show.
“People miss how much time goes into creating your look,” she said. “It’s not just your three minutes on stage. It’s really putting in hours behind the scenes to create a cohesive look that’s embellished.”
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for attendees to view and enjoy the gallery. At 7:30 p.m., the drag show will begin followed by a meet-and-greet. The event will feature performances by Manny Lovett, Mo Betta, Mister Right, Gemini Mxr, Sir Suavey, Mr. Tee, Deej Nutz, Kyng Dom and Reese the Beast.
Each act will reflect the diversity in each performance style, underlined Lawrence — who emphasized that no two kings are alike, even in terms of stage presence. Some express themselves through contemporary dance, others stick to traditional lip-syncing, and some incorporate stripping or exploring their bodies and movement in other creative ways.
“I just want to showcase all of that diversity,” Lawrence said. “That feels important to me.”
“The Coronation: An All Black Drag King Show and Art Exhibition” will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 at Prism Arts Philadelphia, 1021 Hamilton St. To purchase tickets, visit tinyurl.com/theappetizerphilly.