“Behind the Curtain: Transformations in the Balkans”

“Behind the Curtain” is a long-term photography project in progress – a personal and ongoing exploration of the world of drag queens in the Balkan region.
I travel through Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet the people behind the stage – where transformation begins.

I’m drawn to what happens in those moments when individuals shed their everyday identities and step into bold, expressive personas made possible through the art of drag.
Especially in a region where rigid gender norms are deeply rooted, I feel how meaningful each of these transformations truly is.
Here, drag is not just performance – it’s an act of courage, a visible statement of self-determination and diversity.

This project grows with every encounter, with every story. It’s not finished – and perhaps it never will be.
Like identity itself, this work lives through change, through development and dialogue.

I am documenting a scene in motion. While drag cultures such as Pageants, Club Kids, Comedy Queens or Ballroom are already well-established in the West, I see a new movement emerging in the Balkans – raw, honest, and incredibly powerful.

For me, it’s not only about aesthetics, but about the people behind the looks. About their emotions before stepping onto the stage – their joy, excitement, and sometimes uncertainty.
By capturing these personal, unfiltered moments, I want to invite others to reflect on their own identities, on gender roles, and on the meaning of freedom.

Why I looked behind the curtain
I began photographing the transformation of men into drag queens backstage – not just out of documentary interest, but because these moments touch a deeper question within me:
What does it actually mean to be a man or a woman?

I don’t see myself reflected in society’s conventional ideas of femininity.
I am Jutta – not divided into male or female, but whole as a person.

In the world of drag, I see people who move beyond rigid gender roles – with courage, creativity, and an impressive sense of self.
These transformations are not just external to me – they speak of identity, of freedom, and of the power to become oneself.