Jordan Fox defies categories but defines them as well. The New York based performer believes the human body is a blank canvas and with the right combination of couture and makeup he can adopt any persona imaginable. Tony Chavira speaks with Fox about the influence of sexuality, eroticism and the fluidity of gender.
Tony Chavira: What words would you use to describe your work?
Jordan Fox: I consider myself a drag artist, rather than a drag queen. The photography of myself that I prefer is very candid and spontaneous.
Describe how your personality integrates with your work?
I’m a stereotypical Leo. I’m very sexual, creative, eclectic, loud and ambitious. I get easily bored of one particular thing/theme and am constantly trying out different feelings/looks when it comes to my art.
What do the words “clothes” and “makeup” mean to you?
They mean I can transform myself into anyone or anything I want to. Everything is drag. Day drag, boy drag. The use of clothing and makeup are my mediums, my art. I use them to portray a character, an image and an idea.
Would you consider your body the canvas or the paint?
My mind is the paint and my body/face are the canvas. I get a very strong and particular idea of how I want to look and I execute that by means of costuming and make up.
If all of life’s constraints were eliminated, what would you want to do every day?
I would want to overdose on excessive shopping in foreign countries. And have sex with gorgeous men constantly. I would want to alter my body for the better. I would dress to kill every second, bringing my dark art into the bright of day.
Describe how you use sexuality and eroticism in your work.
I am heavily interested in sex, eroticism and perversion. Almost everything about my work are those three words. I’m a boy who embodies a strong female sexuality. I use a lot of fetishism and kink in my work. Cross-dressing. Stockings, garters, heels, panties. Latex and Spandex. Masks. Make up and wigs. Leather. Blood. They are ALL forms of fetish. I like how they affect me and others around me. How it might turn someone on, or freak someone out.
What power do you feel sexuality has in defining your work?
I’ve had a saying for many, many years: “the power of appearance.” Essentially how you look is how you are perceived. I can easily seduce a straight man dressed like a young, blond bombshell or entertain a child dressed as a clown or the Easter Bunny.
But how naive both the man and the child are, because I am simply a boy playing a character and realistically looking the part. It’s a powerful thing.
In your opinion, can sexuality be defined or organized? And if so, how?
No. Sexuality and gender are fluid, interchangeable and multifaceted. For so long it was black/white, male/female, gay/straight. And it’s just not like that anymore. Gay males are getting married. Transsexuals are modeling clothing. Drag queens are on mainstream television. The future looks bright.
All images courtesy of the artist