Michael Childers: Having a Ball

In 1976 Michael Childers photographed participants at a Los Angeles Drag Ball. Dubbed “Flaming Creatures,” this group of thirty-eight revealing portraits captures the amusing gender play during an earlier, more innocent time. Although more known for his images of famous actors, writers, visual artists, and performers, Childers has produced other works that take their inspiration directly from the body. In these photographs of unknown merrymakers, he brings the same sensitivity to his subjects as in his more recognizable sitters, capturing both persona and personality through gestures and telling details.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.