Flawless Queens
Photo exhibition
The exhibition traces the origins of drag shows in Moldova, from their early performances in nightclubs to the dazzling spectacle of the international Miss Flawless Queen competition. Archival photographs from these events pay tribute to the pioneers who first brought drag to life on Moldovan stage.
During Moldova’s first Pride in 2002, the teams Neon (from Bălți) and Sisters (from Chișinău) set the mood for all the queer events to come. As the newspaper Zerkalo reported, the show was a “firework of friendship” for over 250 attendees. Images from those first Pride events capture the emergence of drag entertainment in Moldova’s nightlife — from early rehearsals and discos to the evolution of Miss Flawless Queen into a true carnival of joy, encouraging more and more people to step out of the closet.
Archives from the late 2000s document the competition’s expansion to an international level, featuring performers like Monroe from Ukraine, Tina de Lux from Moldova, Dana National and others. A photo series from the 2011 Pride showcases eight performers from Chișinău, Kyiv, Baku, Moscow and Saint Petersburg, while close-ups of Malvina von Behemoth bring to life her “Lake of Hope” — a visual metaphor for longing, liberation and the search for acceptance.
The photographs were collected by the GENDERDOC-M Information Centre under the guidance of Alexei Marcicov. The archive stands as a vital source of visual history for Moldova’s LGBTQIA+ movement.
This exhibition invites viewers to share in the joy of transformation and feel the powerful collective spirit of Moldova’s queer community.