“Prince” by Raisa Effress

Me as An Icon

In the Summer 2019, participating schools partnered with Magnum Foundation to hold a workshop titled “Reframing Photography and Education,” which focused on social justice mentorship in photography. A part of the workshop included a lesson plan inspired by a series by documentarian, Arlene Mejorado, titled “Caricias”.

“Carcias” is a multimedia ode to migrant LGBTQ tribute artists who perform as Latinx divas. These nostalgic performances are a growing cultural phenomenon in Los Angeles, where tribute artists are invited to backyard parties, first communion and baptism celebrations, quinceneras, and to entertain at nightclubs. “Carcias” explores the journey beyond the spectacle and dives into the intimate spaces these tribute artists create with their audiences and community.

Me as An Icon was a lesson plan assigned to two geographically separate and culturally different groups of students in Los Angeles. Students met for a workshop facilitated by photographers Arlene Mejorado, Alice Proujansky, and educators Joe Medina, Alexandra Pacheco Garcia and Adriana Yugovich. This collaboration is comprised of a self-portrait and documentary assignment that illustrates how icons are mirrors of culture and desire. The lesson asks students to investigate why icons speak to specific communities. What does it mean to be a fan of particular icons?

For the self-portrait section of the assignment, collaborating students were asked to create abstract self-portraits in the studio. Rather than being totally transformed, students were required to incorporate a symbol or other element that represented and distinguished their chosen icon.

Due to the pandemic and school closures, the documentary section of the assignment was no longer possible for the students to complete. As an alternative, students used images of Los Angeles taken prior to school shutdowns and combined them with photographs taken off of streaming devices during their stay-at-home time.