The Queen of them all! Painting

This work is inspired by the RuPaul's Drag Race winner Shasha Veluor - the epiphany of style, grace and femininity. When I watch drag queens perform, I always get chills from their strength and bravery. Despite of living outside of Russia for over a decade deep inside my inner voice is constantly alerting me about how dangerous it is to be so different, how impossible it is to live your life to the fullest if you belong to the LGBTQ community in some countries. The sheer veil of traditional Russian Khokhloma flower ornament represents this inner voice. Whatever I see and whatever I hear, the social norms and restrictions I grew up with are deep-inside of me. They can be hidden and forgotten, but they will always seep through. I choose not to hide from this inner program and instead bring it to the surface to show how beautiful the life could be where everyone is accepted to the fullest and is blooming not despite, but together with the tradition, enhancing it and making it more rich!