NYC’s Old and New Drag Culture

Drag culture in NYC has come a long way since its beginnings; at this year’s RuPaul’s DragCon 35,000 people attended and weekend passes cost $60. Fans waited for hours to see their favorites. As Jesse Dorris writes, queens used to be “court jesters (and sex workers and criminals)” but those days are gone. Bob the Drag Queen said at the event, “Drag queens ain’t supposed …

John Maus: Teenage Witch

From the forthcoming John Maus album Screen Memories, “Teenage Witch” makes for an eerie little pop number. Experimental and electronic, the track moves forward on almost celestial synths. The official music video, directed by Jennifer Juniper Stratford and released today, features actual footage Maus took of himself in high school.

Remarkable Portraits of Insects

Photographer Levon Biss’ new book “Microsculpture: Portraits of Insects” (a continuation of his exhibition) shows bugs in a very different light. Rather than appearing as pests, they’re majestic. These detailed images are made by stitching together some 8,000 shots—a process that takes weeks. The time spent, though, is worth it as these portraits are remarkably pretty. See more at Popular Science.