To mark the end of LAMBÓN, the retrospective exhibition in her hometown of New York City, photographer and director Renell Medrano has launched ICE, her first-ever magazine. While there are limited numbers of physical copies available, you can download a digital copy exclusively from WeTransfer.
Back in summer 2024, women of every height and size answered a casting call Renell Medrano posted on Instagram. “Maybe 50 girls will show up,” Medrano thought. Instead, more than 500 arrived. She decided this would be the casting for ICE, a magazine concept she’d had in mind for the past few years. Visually, Medrano’s inspiration for ICE comes from Players magazine, a 1970s softcore publication known for blending sensuality, Black culture, and intellect. Yet, while Players catered to the male gaze, Medrano wanted to create a space for women to see themselves. “Players was for men, but I want to bring it into my world, where it’s not just for men,” she explains. “It’s for a community of women, a place where we can be comfortable.”
The features in ICE magazine were brought to life by an all-women crew; Medrano behind the lens, with Nikki Nelms on hair, Raisa Flowers on makeup, and Marika-Ella Ames on styling. “In this industry, I’m always shooting faces we’re already familiar with,” Medrano explains. “I grew up obsessed with the video vixens, curvy girls like my mom and aunts. This is my world. That’s what I consider an Ice Girl.”
