Drag is everywhere. Think of the popular RuPaul’s Drag Race TV show, Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst and Van Kooten and De Bie’s famous characters. But it’s nothing new. Drag was part of Greek tragedy, when stereotypical gender roles were lampooned on stage.

Drag is a popular theme in the visual artists. Around 1900, artists often depicted Hartjes day, which started as a Haarlem festival in which men dressed as women and women as men. Some artists were crossdressers themselves or wore drag, or portrayed people who used these forms to express themselves. The exhibition includes contemporary art by Sarah Lucas, Yamuna Forzani and Kees van Dongen who transcend traditional categories and stereotypes of masculinity and femininity.

In Art of Drag. Kings, Queens & Crossdressing the Frans Hals Museum offers a selection of the finest modern and contemporary art. Come and see how artists have expressed their love of drag in ways that still raise a few eyebrows. And celebrate gender expression with us – the freedom to dress and be as you are.