Squeeeze extravaganza

Mocha Sheena striking a pose in 1994

In 1994, when I was already working on the main bodies of work that I continue with today, I had the incredible opportunity to photograph some of the most flamboyant misfits I’d ever met: drag queens, transvestites, and outrageous club kids!

The largest nite-club in Montreal, Club Metropolis, had started hosting what would eventually become a legendary weekly event on Saturday nights: Squeeeze. The club would open its doors to every manner of freak in the city, and with a capacity for well over 2000 people, and a constantly packed house, this event was a sensory overload.

The club owners and promoters needed photographs to promote the new event, and I was hired. Two drag queens showed up at my studio and we took some photos. The owners were thrilled with the images and they wanted more. I realized the best place to capture this crazy energy was in the club itself, during Squeeeze nights! I started setting up a studio in corners of the massive club, and for many months – with music thumping and absolute mayhem around me – I shot some truly demented and strangely inspired stuff!

The 1995 Squeeeze calendar

In August 1994 I exhibited 20 images in one of the club’s lounges and we released a calendar. Quebec’s MTV, aka MusiquePlus, interviewed me at the opening of the exhibit, Mondo Squeeeze. I recently had the videotape digitized, so here it is! The interview is in French, but its really all about the visuals any way

MusiquePlus interview

More of my fashion/portrait work can be seen here