Photographer and fashion creative Renell Medrano opened a solo retrospective titled “Lambón” on Friday (October 4, 2024) at WSA in Manhattan. The exhibit is deeply rooted in her Dominican heritage and Bronx upbringing, which inform her unique perspective. Medrano’s work captures subjects through an authentic and artistic lens, where style is ever-present yet effortlessly expressed. “It’s all a celebration for the girls like me,” she said about the retrospective, “the kids like me, the people like me.”
With “Lambón,” Medrano challenges the audience to reflect on their roles in the pursuit of creativity and its potential for exploitation and repetition, asking: “Will you be a leader, or a lambón?” In this context, “lambón” is a Dominican term meaning moocher or freeloader.
A commission from WeTranfer’s art platform Wepresent, the exhibition showcases a diverse body of work, including editorial projects and collaborations from her label Ice Studios. It also features personal projects, many of which are being shown for the first time, and were captured during her travels to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Egypt.
The exhibition also debuts her short film from 2019, “Peluca”, shot in Jamaica, featuring subjects ranging from pole dancers to models adorned in wigs, high heels, and elaborate nail art. Medrano worked with designer Ricky Braukus and stylist Marika-Ella Ames to create this visually striking film.
Medrano shared her thoughts on the exhibit on Instagram, where she wrote, “I created this exhibition to show the girls and kids who look like me that I’m one of them—the ones who dream and push forward, despite the draining politics of these industries. So often, we’re forced to go against our own way, to act unlike ourselves. This body of work isn’t just about the world I’ve built; it represents years of staying true to who I am and where I come from. No matter how many times you’re turned down, told you don’t fit in, or hear the familiar ‘We love what you do, but do it our way,’ I’ve remained independent in this game—and I still am.
“Keep pushing and give yourself grace. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and there’s no first or last place. We might make it look easy on here [Instagram], but it gets easier when you don’t fold, when you stay true to yourself, and have fun creating the work you want to create. Because this industry can be full of lambóns.”
Lambón is on view at WSA on 161 Water street until November 2nd, 2024.
