Photographer and visual artist Laetitia Bica captured La Barakakings and Les Peaux de Minuit, two drag collectives at Esperanzah!, one of Belgium’s most committed festivals. Through her work and photo documentary, Bica creates new conversations around body language and new possibilities of beauty.

“I thought it was important to celebrate them and to bring my fashion and feminist perspective to these under-represented communities that question the relationship between gender, masculinity and the body.” Bica explained. “The DRAG RACE mania doesn’t showcase all types of drag and it’s difficult for these artists to be programmed. However, the enthusiasm I saw was proof that this type of drag is necessary and has its place in the world of live performance.”

Les Peaux de Minuit are a collective of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and LGBTQIA+ artists from Brussels, born to make all bodies shine, hear all stories and give space to our adelphs who are so often invisible. With heels, sequins, gold and silver, humour, committed messages and swaying beats, They are paving the way for greater diversity.

Les Peaux de Minuit Members: (present at the festival) Mama Tituba, Meltyn’Pothead, Paula Roïd, Daisy Lusion, Lassyri.

The BARAKAKINGS is a collective of drag artists from Brussels, born in the autumn of 2022. Made up of drag kings, queeing, éatures, trucs… and all other forms of drag, with the exception of drag queens, they came together because of the lack of visibility of this diversity in drag art. They are LGBTQIAT, racialized, white, TDS*, fat, neuro-atypical, able-bodied, and are beginners on the scene or regulars. They want to make the most of these identities. That’s why they think it’s important for Barakakings to exist, to create new scenes, a network and a community.

Barakakings places adelphity at the heart of its values. They’re convinced that drag is an extraordinary way of raising awareness among a wide audience about gender, sexuality, racism, mental health, grossophobia and so on. They find it essential for to work with structures and people who are in agreement with their values and who are sensitive to issues of systemic oppression. Most importantly the Barakakings do not tolerate racist, validist, transphobic, putophobic, sexist, grossophobic, etc. comments.

 

The BARAKAKINGS Members: (present at the festival) Mama Tituba, LIL.X.IR, Enby Valent, Dicklan, Raoul les mécaniques, Shlaggy Daddy, Meltyn’Pothead, Dante Chaos, Chéri-e Chapsticks, Johnny K’Hermes, Ernesto Coyote.