The Little Black Gallery is delighted to announce the publication of its new book Cowboys and Queens by Jane Hilton.
This coincides with our US tour of Hilton’s exhibition of the same name. Launching 27 March at FreyBoy Art Salon in Las Vegas and then Los Angeles, next to Tulsa in Oklahoma in September at The Hulett Collection, and then Palo Gallery in New York in the spring of 2026.
Cowboys and Queens reflects the new modern-day American Dream. A utopian cocktail that celebrates the freedom and stance of the iconic working cowboy, with the flamboyance and inventiveness of the drag queen.
The inspiration is indisputable: from Sergio Leone and Tarantino, to Dorsey Swan and Ru Paul. Stunning blue skies and western landscapes by day, and the frisson of nightclubs and bars by night.
Both represent liberty and endless possibilities. A new frontier has emerged … a new Americana.
25cm x 20cm
56 pages
25 images
Foiled hardcover
Edition of 200
Edited by Ghislain Pascal & Jane Hilton
Published by The Little Black Gallery
Designed by Studio Kunze
Printed on FSC, chlorine & acid free paper in the UK
Price $65
Only 50 copies available online – all signed – buy now
Inspired by John Huston’s classic film The Misfits, Hilton worked closely with a vibrant community of drag artists who painstakingly created their own Western-inspired attire, from wigs and makeup to handcrafted accessories. In a bold departure from their usual nightlife habitats, the performers stepped into the vast natural light of the American West, without artificial lighting or any digital manipulation, creating an arresting juxtaposition of glamour, grit, and the romanticism of cowboy culture.
Picture: Sage O’Hara by Jane Hilton
32″ x 27″ giclee print, edition of 10, $2,350
or 43″ x 35″ C type print, edition of 3, $3,675
Alongside these portraits are images of authentic cowboys, shot on film with a 4×5 plate camera. From the buckaroos of Nevada to the cowpunchers of Texas, Hilton has photographed cowboys in their own homes, surrounded by western artefacts, revealing their obsession with the lifestyle. Not only is their need to hold onto their heritage clearly visible, but their softer, possibly more feminine side is also exposed. Hilton’s own affection for the American West is clearly palpable.
Picture: Ron Redford, Texas, by Jane Hilton
Three sizes starting from 20″ x 24″, edition of 20, $1,100
Jane Hilton’s work has long explored American culture with a poetic sensitivity, capturing worlds that exist on the fringes of societal norms. Cowboys and Queens is no exception—challenging perceptions, blending genres, and celebrating the spirit of reinvention. These unforgettable portraits invite us to reflect on identity, transformation, and the ever-evolving American dream.
Picture: Whipcrack by Jane Hilton
32″ x 27″ giclee print, edition of 10, $2,350
or 43″ x 35″ C type print, edition of 3, $3,675
Jane Hilton is an award winning photographer and filmmaker whose work brings to our attention the extraordinary realities of ordinary people’s lives.
Her many accolades include being awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society; being shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards; and chosen as one of the ‘Hundred Heroines’ representing the most inspirational women in photography today.
Her monographs include Dead Eagle Trail (Schilt Pub); Precious (Schilt Pub); and LA Gun Club.
Jane is fascinated by subjects that are legal but not socially acceptable. In 2000 she make a series of documentary films for the BBC about two brothels in Nevada; Love for Sale, the only state in America where prostitution is legal. Most recently she has spent the last eight years filming The Last Lion Tamer – following a family’s fight to save their lifestyle as the government intends to ban all wild animals performing in circuses.
She has exhibited internationally with solo shows at Palo Gallery (NYC), Eleven Gallery (London), Schilt Gallery (Amsterdam); and group shows at Daniel Cooney Fine Art (NYC), and Jerwood Gallery (Hastings, UK); and Photo London.
Picture: Buff Plains, Valley of the Gods by Jane Hilton
Three sizes starting from 20″ x 24″, edition of 20, $1,100
The Cowboys and Queen Tour by Jane Hilton is organised by The Little Black Gallery.
FreyBoy Art Salon, Las Vegas: March 27 – May 10 2025
FreyBoy Art Salon, Los Angeles: June – July 2025
Hulett Gallery, Tulsa, Oklahoma: September – October 2025
Palo Gallery, NYC: February – April 2026
Picture: Edie by Jane Hilton
32″ x 27″ giclee print, edition of 10, $2,350
or 43″ x 35″ C type print, edition of 3, $3,675
The Little Black Gallery