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In five weeks of dating, how many outfits will you wear? For local photographer Monica Orozco, who goes by the name deMonica, it was 16. Last year she met a guy -- let's call him Mr. X -- and the two dated for a quick five weeks before abruptly breaking up.
"When it ended, it was really intense," the Valley native said. "I started thinking back to all the outfits that I wore and I found it amusing that I wore a different outfiit each time I saw him." So she began to go back to all the spots they visited and took self-portraits, each in a different outfit.
"It was great, it was like going back to feeling like a teenager again," she reminisced, calling it all a misadventure. One portrait, where she holds a CD in front of her face on Mulholland Drive, displays that high school tendency: she and Mr. X decided to go up there for some good ole' fashion necking -- she even made a makeout CD for the occasion. "It's cute stuff like that... There was a kind of juvenile fun."
The 16 photos, mostly all taken in the Hollywood-Franklin Hills-Los Feliz area, are now on display at the Hollywood ArcLight through mid-June. None, however, show her face. Like with the Mulholland Drive photo where a CD blocks her face, each photo shows a different item that has a story behind it. But that mystery has made theatre employees a little curious, she says. When they figure out she's the one in the photos, they start pointing ("Oh my god, it's her!").
As for Mr. X: "he kinda knows about it, but I'm not sure he's going to see it," she said, noting that she sent a text thanking him for inspiring her. The series of photos may become a book someday.
"It Lasted 16 Outfits" isn't the only photography project on display. One of her other projects, which fits in with her slogan "it's a luscious world, live it, love it, see it," shows beautifully-done portraits of L.A. women. "De Colores" is an ongoing series featuring diverse, strong, and fearless local women, each shot before a backdrop of their favorite hue. "I've shot about 60 women so far and I'm still not done," she said.
An opening reception for the exhibit will take place on this Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the ArcLight. The photo exhibit is up through June 16th.
