VALUE: In Terms of Iconography

This work explores the theme of ‘value’ in terms of inspiration and fuel for future ideas. Mz.Icar’s hyper-realistic portraits portray iconic women enveloped with societal troves of wealth. They are n

This work explores the theme of ‘value’ in terms of inspiration and fuel for future ideas. Mz.Icar’s hyper-realistic portraits portray iconic women enveloped with societal troves of wealth. They are notes of what was to come as these women went on to influence and to disrupt culture.

This project includes collages from found archival media, Mz. Icar’s imagery and from portraits by the photographer Erin Patrice O’Brien. The Mz. Icar collective carefully went through O’Brien’s negatives and contact sheets finding source material to work with and to re-imagine.

The images were re-printed, cut-up, collaged, re-composed, and re-photographed depicting the subjects almost as goddesses with infinite potential, value, wealth, and worth. Most of the women featured were photographed mid-career and these images document a particular point in the journey of their careers.

Mz. Icar’s work thematically deals with re-imagining pasts and futures, this project included. This work explores the positive impact of representation and the lasting inspirational value of being able to see one’s self in another.