© 2026 Martin Schoeller
Overview
Drag Queens
“A photographic close-up is perhaps the purest form of portraiture, creating a confrontation between the viewer and the subject that daily interaction makes impossible, or at least impolite. In a close-up, the impact stems solely from the static subject’s expression or apparent lack thereof, so the viewer is challenged to read a face without the benefit of the environmental cues we naturally use to form our interpersonal reactions.
“A photographic close-up is perhaps the purest form of portraiture, creating a confrontation between the viewer and the subject that daily interaction makes impossible, or at least impolite. In a close-up, the impact stems solely from the static subject’s expression or apparent lack thereof, so the viewer is challenged to read a face without the benefit of the environmental cues we naturally use to form our interpersonal reactions.
Exhibitions
2020, Close Up, Camera Work, Berlin, Germany
Monographs
Drag Queens
Steidl, 2026
Steidl, 2026
Selected Press
Martin Schoeller Captures the World’s Most Famous with Startling Intimacy, Artsy, USA
Martin Schoeller on Intimate Portraiture, National Geographic, USA
Martin Schoeller: ‘Close Up’, The New York Times, USA
Martin Schoeller on Intimate Portraiture, National Geographic, USA
Martin Schoeller: ‘Close Up’, The New York Times, USA

