Sloane Kanter is weird, okay? I said it. You were thinking it, but I said it. She's scary too! John Waters once said of her, "She is the most frightening human I've ever met!"* But is she even human though? Various artists have portrayed her as having blue alien flesh. She may even have tentacles!
Although most people know her as the bad-ass photographer lady documenting the drag scene in San Francisco. She has a dog named Miller who I'm quite fond of. I checked in on Sloane a month ago. But crickets! I was just about to file a missing persons report when...
How are you and Mills doing? How's your mental and physical
health?
We are doing alright! I think that he’s happy to have me at home 24/7. My physical health is good. Mental health is mostly good as well. I’m trying my best to stay busy to keep my mind off of things. I’m trying to set small goals every day and cutting myself some slack if I don’t get it all done. I’m trying to stay connected to friends online, so I don’t get too lonely. Nights can be a little hard though.
When did you lock yourself down?
I believe I started staying in on March 14th. That’s when all of the local bars started closing down and I lost all of my photography jobs. I was pretty depressed that weekend but was able to kind of pull myself out of it once I realized I wasn’t the only one going through this.
Are your parents okay?
My parents seem good! We talk on the phone every day. Those phone calls also help keep me sane.
What's the vibe in San Francisco right now?
It’s a weird vibe for sure. Grocery stores are a nightmare (as I’m sure they are in LA too). People are rude as fuck. And some folks are treating the quarantine like a vacation. When I take Miller out for a walk I always see way too many people out and about. All of the sudden everyone is an outdoors person.
Did you have any shows scheduled?
I didn’t have any shows scheduled to show my work. But I had lots of drag shows that I was going to shoot that got cancelled. That was such a bummer when that started happening.
What have you been doing with the downtime?
I’ve been cleaning and organizing my place little by little. I’ve also been cooking more which I’ve been enjoying. I’m also starting to work on putting together either a book or zine of my photos. And for fun I’ll watch movies, tv shows, and play video games.
Do you have enough food?
I do! I’ve been braving the grocery store once every week or two and picking up enough food to last me. If I feel like I need anything else between those trips I’ll go to the corner store. I’ve also been trying to cook using things that have been sitting in my cupboard or freezer for a while. It’s helped me get creative while making my meals!
What has been the most challenging part of this for you?
I find myself missing a lot of social aspects from my “normal” life. I’ve always considered myself an introvert so missing these things came as a bit of a surprise. I miss seeing friends, going out to dinner, going to see live music, going to drag shows. And of course I miss taking photos at drag shows as well. Seems like some of these things you don’t miss until you can’t have them. At least that’s the case for me.
What are some of your coping mechanisms?
Definitely watching movies, reading and playing video games. They help me take my mind off of everything and escape the madness for a little while.
What's the thing/place you wish you could do/go but can't
right now?
I really wish I could go see a drag show at The Stud right now. The Stud is the oldest queer bar in SF and they have the BEST shows. The performances are very diverse and there is so much talent on that small stage. But drag queens are so innovative. They’ve found ways to keep the shows going digitally from their homes. I’ve really been enjoying watching these digital drag shows on Twitch and Instagram live.
Done any binge watching, book reading, game playing?
As far as TV I’ve been revisiting the X-Files and a show that I watched as a kid called So Weird. I’ve also been revisiting some favorite horror films as well as movies featuring drag queens. I finished the game Life is Strange 2 the first week of quarantine. I have also been playing Luigi’s Mansion 3 intermittently. As far as reading I’ve been enjoying the graphic novel Black Hole by Charles Burns and listening to the audio book of the book Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee Kerr. Definitely consuming a lot of different media at this time.
Have you seen the video of Trixie Mattel making strawberry
shortcake in the Bon Appetit test kitchen?
I have! I’ve been watching a lot of drag videos on YouTube while stuck at home. I loved that one. I love Trixie’s wit.
Do you have a favorite work of art in San Francisco and/or
Los Angeles?
My favorite works of art in SF are these Agnes Martin pieces at the SFMOMA. There’s a small room where each wall is filled by one of her paintings. I visit it any time I’m at that museum. Being in that room brings me an immediate sense of calm. Kinda wish I could be there right now.
Oh, my gawd, I love Agnes Martin so much! She has pieces in
New York that brought me to tears.
What song is stuck in your head right now (commercial
jingles totally count)?
I watched a digital drag show last night where one queen sang the song Alone by Heart and now it’s stuck in mud head.
Favorite brand of toilet paper and where do you find it?
Honestly, I usually just get Costco brand tp. Luckily, I stocked up before people started hoarding it so I haven’t had to fight anyone for toilet paper (yet).
If you could hoard one food item (guilt-free), what would it
be?
If I could hoard lots of vegan milkshakes from this place called Next Level Burger that would be my choice!
Do you know anyone personally who has contracted the virus?
I have a couple of friends who thought they may have had it, but they weren’t able to get tested. Luckily, they have since recovered.
What is the saddest/most troubling thing you've seen since
this started?
It’s not a huge surprise but seeing everyone hoarding everything and being selfish assholes has been disheartening. Last time I went to Whole Foods I saw an older man yell at an employee walking into work because they thought they were trying to cut the line. I understand why people are on edge, I just wish that they’d take this opportunity to be kinder to one another instead.
How do you think this all ends?
I honestly have no idea. I hope that we come out of this with a greater appreciation for each other. Maybe we won’t take all of the little things that we now miss for granted. Or maybe things will just go back to how they were before. I’m interested to see how it goes. I hope for positive changes.How can people help you out right now?
There are a few ways! Local folks can pre-book a shoot with me. They can pay now and we’ll set a date once things are more certain. Folks can also pre-order prints from me. Choose any photo of mine that you’d like a print of and I’ll deliver or mail them once this is over. OR they can just send me a tip through Venmo if they’re feeling generous. My username on Venmo is @sloanek. Sharing my work is always appreciated as well!
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