Behind the Queen
A 35mm black-and-white photographic exhibition by Leonardt Horák, presented by Edessa School of Fashion.
Behind the Queen explores drag, transformation, fashion, and self-presentation across Wisconsin. Photographed on 35mm black-and-white film, the project follows drag performers through a visual progression from rural environments into more urban and constructed images, where garments, styling, performance, and character become increasingly visible.
Through portraiture, fashion, and textured environments, the work frames drag not only as performance, but as a form of self-authorship, artistic labor, and transformation.
Project Statement
Originally developed as Edessa School of Fashion’s 2024 calendar project, Behind the Queen quickly expanded into a larger exhibition format. The project brought together performers, designers, stylists, and creative collaborators, including garments and accessories created by designers and by the queens themselves.
The work marks an important turning point in Leonardt Horák’s photographic practice. Moving between fashion, portraiture, and constructed image-making, Behind the Queen considers how identity is shaped through clothing, gesture, environment, and performance. The photographs move between documentation and staging, presenting drag as both cultural expression and a deeply crafted visual language.
Now revisited through new institutional contexts, including presentations with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin, Behind the Queen continues to evolve as a fine-art body of work. The project reflects on performance, memory, fashion, and the people who shaped its creation, while opening a new chapter for future work centered on identity, portraiture, and constructed image-making.
Meet the Artist
Leonardt Horák is a German and Czech multidisciplinary artist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, working across photography, creative direction, fashion productions, large-scale projection, and graphic design. His practice explores identity, performance, constructed image-making, and the relationship between personal expression and cultural presentation.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design from Cardinal Stritch University and an Associate degree in Photography from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Horák currently serves as Multimedia Art Director for Edessa School of Fashion, where he contributes to exhibitions, fashion productions, editorial campaigns, branding, and public-facing creative projects.
His work has included collaborations with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Florentine Opera, and the Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch. He has presented solo exhibitions, his work is held in private collections, and he has received international photo credits for his Fall/Winter 2026 New York Fashion Week coverage. Moving between fine art, fashion, portraiture, and design strategy, Horák’s work reflects a continued interest in image-making as both documentation and transformation.
Selected Presentations
Woman’s Club of Wisconsin
Gallery Night presentation, 2026
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra / Bradley Symphony Center
Presented in conjunction with Edessa School of Fashion’s Founders Day Celebration and the Thorgy Thor performance, 2025
Milwaukee Artist Resource Network
Original exhibition presentation, Milwaukee, 2024
Credits & Collaborators
Behind the Queen was developed through Edessa School of Fashion with the support of performers, designers, stylists, production collaborators, garment contributors, fabrication support, and community partners.
Presented by
Edessa School of Fashion
Photography, Creative Direction, and Artistic Direction
Leonardt Horák
Graphic Design
Leonardt Horák
Bri Renee
Featured Performers
Dita Von (Lee Joseph Rydzewski)
Melee The Queen (Jason Luu)
Tempest Heat (Jonathan Hughlett)
Garments, Accessories, and Fashion Contributions
Lyn Leannais Kream
Sabrina Lombardo
Voltage Couture
Paloma Foxx
Brandon Rasberry
Edessa School of Fashion faculty, students, and creative collaborators
Garments and accessories created by the featured performers
Additional designer and stylist credits to be listed where applicable
Video, Drone, and Production Documentation
Leonardt Horák
Jeffrey Speller
Production Photography Assistance
Lynne R. Dixon-Speller
Casting Support
Lyn Leannais Kream
Student / Production Assistance
Leela Viña-Tromp
Exhibition Installation Lead
Jeffrey Speller
Display Stand Fabrication Support
Tesla Knight
Project Origins: The Edessa Calendar Series
Behind the Queen developed out of Edessa School of Fashion’s annual calendar and print initiative, a project created to provide students, faculty, designers, models, photographers, and creative collaborators with hands-on editorial and production experience. The initiative also carried a philanthropic component, with proceeds from the original calendar projects supporting Courage MKE and its work with LGBTQ+ youth.
Edessa’s 2022 and 2023 calendar projects centered fashion, local talent, and Milwaukee’s visual landscape through garments, street art, photography, and public-facing events. By 2024, the format was ready to evolve. Rather than repeating the previous structure, Behind the Queen expanded the calendar concept into a more ambitious photographic and exhibition-based body of work.
Photographed on 35mm black-and-white film, the project moved beyond the function of a calendar and into a larger exploration of drag, transformation, fashion, performance, and self-authorship. This shift marked an important step in Edessa’s continued development of fashion-based creative projects and in Horák’s evolving photographic practice.
Community Engagement
In addition to institutional presentations, Behind the Queen has moved through community-based spaces connected to Milwaukee nightlife, LGBTQ+ culture, and public engagement. These presentations expanded the project’s reach while keeping it connected to the performers, audiences, and communities that shaped its creation.
La Cage Nightclub
Community presentation, Milwaukee, 2024–2025
Kind Oasis
Community presentation, Milwaukee, 2024
Rather than existing only as a calendar or single exhibition, Behind the Queen continues to function as a living body of work: a photographic project, a fashion collaboration, a document of performance, and a foundation for future exhibitions.
Exhibition, Print, and Press Inquiries
For exhibition opportunities, print acquisition, press requests, or additional information about Behind the Queen, please contact: info@edessa.fashion