About two months ago I participated in a photoshoot for Guillermo Gomez-Peña’s La Pocha Nostra performance troupe. Guillermo had invited a series of artists and performers to model alongside his troupe for photographer RJ Muna. It was an amazing night of S&M costumes, nudity, glam makeup, and improvisation that I’ll never forget. At the shoot I ran into Emma Mankin a dear friend from waaaaay back in the day. We hadn’t seen each other since we both graduated from the 8th grade. I was glad to know that 16 years later we had both followed through with our goals of being artists. It was crazy and amazing catching up with Emma and her mom Joan at the shoot and then going up and posing in the set with her in various states of glam and undress.
Today Rene and I received the link to the final photos from that shoot. I didn’t make the cut (*sniff*) but Emma and Rene did.
That’s Emma to the right with one of Guillermo’s performers. Of all the photos that we’re shot, I’m a little surprised and disappointed that this is the only one that was selected. Aside from being an skilled painter and jewelry maker, Emma has always been a great performer and she was awesome that night.
Rene had three images make the cut. He came to the shoot with a posse of Fridas from his recent tableau vivant project at the SFMOMA. My dad always knows how to rock a Mexican wrestling mask in style, check out the images below.
You can see the rest of these amazing photos at http://www.rjmuna.com/2008/pocha/portraits/ and http://www.rjmuna.com/2008/pocha/karaoke/
Peace,
Rio
Graphic Art, Tortillas, Comics, and Troublemaking 
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