Mx Jendr is the drag persona of myself - Mike Hooves, a queer artist. Mx Jendr has existed as a means for me to extravagantly explore gender and nurture a performance practice for over six years. Mx Jendr was born from the ashes of my drag king persona after realizing that drag was not simply dressing as the opposite gender. This realization was born from my involvement in a week-long experimental movement workshop and performance hosted by the 2016 Vancouver Queer Arts Festival. Mx Jendr slowly formed, influenced by this workshop and my changing gender identity until they were premiered at a Fake Mustache show in 2018. Since then they have been gracing the stage as a vessel for my artistry and desire to perform.

 

My arts practice is otherwise visual-based – I create illustrations, animations, and murals and live as a freelancer doing so. I received a BDes in Illustration from AUArts in 2016, and I participated in Arts Common's RBC Emerging Artist program in the form of a Lightbox Studio Residency between December 2019 - April 2020. This residency was called 'Prairie Queer', in which I produced a series of 6 marker portraits of local queers.