There is a celebration of country singer Dolly Parton in New York called “Dollypalooza”. The performers (both men and women) dress up as Dolly and perform for Dolly Parton fans. They go all out, spending hours getting dolled up for a night that culminates in an orgy of beautiful, unabashed, all-out Dolly Parton-ness. It’s about glamour, femininity, and finding something within yourself to celebrate with everyone.
This series of photographs by photographer Dolly Faibyshev explores our basic freedom of self-expression and identity and issues of idealism and conformity. The unique relationship between what it means to be a fan and be oneself, to find something within your own identity and how it relates to an iconic image.
All of these performers take a version of their idea of Dolly Parton to explore their own freedom. As each of them transforms, I watch each of them become themselves. Their own identity is unmistakably expressed in that effort. There is no inhibition, no fear in that room, no recognition of borders on anyone’s freedom on that stage.
At Dollypalooza, each performer puts a lot of love and care into his or her costume, wig, and makeup to look like the best, most beautiful Dolly Parton they can achieve. Lip-syncing rather than singing themselves, they seek a moment of transcendence, to become both “HER” and their highest ideal of themselves. Dolly Faibyshev use her lens to evoke their yearning to channel Dolly Parton in all her glory.
http://www.dollyfaibyshev.com/
