This Drag Queen is based off of, King Faisal (1906-1975). Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's Pride in Presence reimagines the Saudi Riyal to champion global queer representation, blending joy with a deep message of pride. By depicting past Saudi rulers and the Crown Prince as drag queens, it showcases the friction between traditional views and modern social progress. This collection leverages the currency as a means to celebrate LGBTQ+ visibility and enhance understanding of queer identities worldwide, while respecting cultural heritage. It encourages thoughtful consideration of the complex journey of LGBTQ+ rights and recognition global
This Drag Queen is based off of King Abdullah (1875-1953). Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's Pride in Presence reimagines the Saudi Riyal to champion global queer representation, blending joy with a deep message of pride. By depicting past Saudi rulers and the Crown Prince as drag queens, it showcases the friction between traditional views and modern social progress. This collection leverages the currency as a means to celebrate LGBTQ+ visibility and enhance understanding of queer identities worldwide, while respecting cultural heritage. It encourages thoughtful consideration of the complex journey of LGBTQ+ rights and recognition globally.
"(tab)loids," The art series, serves as visual commentary on the distortions and delusions propagated by right-wing tabloid media. The centrepiece features LSD tabs imprinted with the top three tabloid names: The Daily Mail, The Sun, and Fox News Channel, symbolising their power and influence on reality in an age where information flows rapidly and relentlessly, often prioritising headlines over accurate literacy.
"(tab)loids," The art series, serves as visual commentary on the distortions and delusions propagated by right-wing tabloid media. The centrepiece features LSD tabs imprinted with the top three tabloid names: The Daily Mail, The Sun, and Fox News Channel, symbolising their power and influence on reality in an age where information flows rapidly and relentlessly, often prioritising headlines over accurate literacy.
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's work, inspired by the 1970s and 1980s gay club culture in New York City, delves into the portrayal of men in moments of passion and intimacy, as seen in vintage gay magazines. By adapting techniques from that era, Elijah transforms these sources through digital processes and multimedia compositions, offering a unique ideological perspective on the subject matter. The collection explores the tension between societal norms and primal desires, though some of the textures are best appreciated in person rather than through digital scans.
Featured in a double spread in GQ Magazine (Print) and Business Insider Online, Elijah McKenzie-Jackson uses experimental photography to highlight the urgent issue of ecological decline and plastic pollution. His work emphasizes the devastating impact on marine life, where hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, along with over a million seabirds, perish annually due to ocean pollution, often from ingestion or entanglement in marine debris—manmade waste that contaminates oceans, rivers, and other waterways.
This abstract/expressionist painting encapsulates the concept of abstract darkness with a silver star sticker of excellence, accomplishment, and flawlessness given to us as children. It embodies the notion that praise and recognition can often be associated with hidden struggles and challenges, which are not always apparent to others.
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's artwork, The Missionary Crosses, explores the impact of cultural imperialism on indigenous communities. Drawing inspiration from the Amazon Rainforest and with guidance from Brazilian indigenous peoples, the piece highlights the suppression of ancestral knowledge and the disruption caused by missionary presence, emphasizing the ongoing struggles for empowerment and self-determination.
Children of the Revolution is a modern reinterpretation of the 90s Marvel superhero Captain Planet created for The Captain Planet Foundation's 2024 Gala.
Featured in a double spread in Business Insider Online, Elijah McKenzie-Jackson uses experimental photography to highlight the urgent issue of ecological decline and plastic pollution. His work emphasizes the devastating impact on marine life, where hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, along with over a million seabirds, perish annually due to ocean pollution, often from ingestion or entanglement in marine debris—manmade waste that contaminates oceans, rivers, and other waterways.
This Drag Queen is based off of, King Fahd (1921-2005). Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's Pride in Presence reimagines the Saudi Riyal to champion global queer representation, blending joy with a deep message of pride. By depicting past Saudi rulers and the Crown Prince as drag queens, it showcases the friction between traditional views and modern social progress. This collection leverages the currency as a means to celebrate LGBTQ+ visibility and enhance understanding of queer identities worldwide, while respecting cultural heritage. It encourages thoughtful consideration of the complex journey of LGBTQ+ rights and recognition globally.
This Drag Queen is based off of, King Khlaid (1913-1982). Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's Pride in Presence reimagines the Saudi Riyal to champion global queer representation, blending joy with a deep message of pride. By depicting past Saudi rulers and the Crown Prince as drag queens, it showcases the friction between traditional views and modern social progress. This collection leverages the currency as a means to celebrate LGBTQ+ visibility and enhance understanding of queer identities worldwide, while respecting cultural heritage. It encourages thoughtful consideration of the complex journey of LGBTQ+ rights and recognition globally.
Bloody Nostalgia is an artistic reinterpretation of the classical illustration of Pocahontas, known for her symbolic significance and portrayal in popular culture. Through Bloody Nostalgia, Mckenzie-Jackson aims to unveil hidden history, urging us all to reflect upon the dark chapters of the past and work towards a more inclusive and compassionate future.
"Paper Dolls Who Loved" addresses the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community in the Middle East, notably in Saudi Arabia. The artwork features paper silhouettes, purposefully crafted to represent, alleged, gay Saudi men who were punished with capital murder for choosing love. All paper silhouettes are from real images taken in Saudi Arabia.
Holocene, an ink on canvas piece by Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, holds profound significance as it portrays his interpretation of pivotal turning points in human history. This artwork captures the period when humanity began distancing itself from nature, marking the onset of industrialization. The use of ink on canvas powerfully communicates this transformative phase, emphasizing its deep impact on human evolution. As Elijah reflects on Holocene, it evokes thoughts on the far-reaching influence of the Christian religion in medieval Britain, the dynamics of monarchy, and the critical milestones of oil discovery and plastic creation. These elements, interwoven in the artwork, aim to prompt reflection on the intricate relationship between human progress, environmental consequences, and the ethical dilemmas posed by technological advancement.
"(tab)loids," The art series, serves as visual commentary on the distortions and delusions propagated by right-wing tabloid media. The centrepiece features LSD tabs imprinted with the top three tabloid names: The Daily Mail, The Sun, and Fox News Channel, symbolising their power and influence on reality in an age where information flows rapidly and relentlessly, often prioritising headlines over accurate literacy.
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's work, inspired by the 1970s and 1980s gay club culture in New York City, delves into the portrayal of men in moments of passion and intimacy, as seen in vintage gay magazines. By adapting techniques from that era, Elijah transforms these sources through digital processes and multimedia compositions, offering a unique ideological perspective on the subject matter. The collection explores the tension between societal norms and primal desires, though some of the textures are best appreciated in person rather than through digital scans.
This Drag Queen is based off of, King Mohammed Bin Salman (1985-PRESENT). Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's Pride in Presence reimagines the Saudi Riyal to champion global queer representation, blending joy with a deep message of pride. By depicting past Saudi rulers and the Crown Prince as drag queens, it showcases the friction between traditional views and modern social progress. This collection leverages the currency as a means to celebrate LGBTQ+ visibility and enhance understanding of queer identities worldwide, while respecting cultural heritage. It encourages thoughtful consideration of the complex journey of LGBTQ+ rights and recognition globally.
This Drag Queen is based off of King Salman (1935-PRESENT). Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's Pride in Presence reimagines the Saudi Riyal to champion global queer representation, blending joy with a deep message of pride. By depicting past Saudi rulers and the Crown Prince as drag queens, it showcases the friction between traditional views and modern social progress. This collection leverages the currency as a means to celebrate LGBTQ+ visibility and enhance understanding of queer identities worldwide, while respecting cultural heritage. It encourages thoughtful consideration of the complex journey of LGBTQ+ rights and recognition globally.
Featured in a double spread in GQ Magazine (Print) and Business Insider Online, Elijah McKenzie-Jackson uses experimental photography to highlight the urgent issue of ecological decline and plastic pollution. His work emphasizes the devastating impact on marine life, where hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, along with over a million seabirds, perish annually due to ocean pollution, often from ingestion or entanglement in marine debris—manmade waste that contaminates oceans, rivers, and other waterways.
Outside the US Capitol in Washington DC you can find Elijah McKenzie-Jackson's latest piece, "Duck Duck Shoot," a reimagining of the traditional school crossing sign, traditionally a symbol of safety for children, highlighting the tragic epidemic of school shootings in America.
"(tab)loids," The art series, serves as visual commentary on the distortions and delusions propagated by right-wing tabloid media. The centrepiece features LSD tabs imprinted with the top three tabloid names: The Daily Mail, The Sun, and Fox News Channel, symbolising their power and influence on reality in an age where information flows rapidly and relentlessly, often prioritising headlines over accurate literacy.
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