MODERN EYE-CONS: CHAPPELL THE ROAN
i·con /ˈīˌkän/
noun
noun: icon; plural noun: icons; noun: ikon; plural noun: ikons
1.) a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration.
Welcome back, Friends. Today, we are getting a little iconic. lol. I would like to finally share something I have been working on over the course of the past year. I started a new illustration series that I will add to as time goes on. I already have a few finished illustrations (that I am going to finally share) that have been stacked in the drawers (so to speak) waiting for me to write these blogs to accompany them. With that said...
I would like to introduce my Modern Eye-cons Illustration series.
So, what exactly is an icon? What makes a certain person iconic? What is the criteria?
Let's do a little quick dive in and find out. Obviously, the word "icon" has a few other definitions, but today we are only concerned with the one that defines a human being as an icon. When we think of the word in this way, we are regarding someone who is widely admired for having great influence, significance, or transformative impact within a specific field or culture. They are characterized by widespread, lasting recognition that often transcends their original field to become symbols of ideals, such as freedom, rebellion, or excellence. Key traits include authenticity, trailblazing, and immense, enduring charisma.
How exactly does one become an icon? You might wonder to yourself, "How ARE they doing it?" When exactly do people cross over into this very exclusive sort of "club"? Where and and and and who defines someone officially as an icon of the times?... In order for an individual to become an icon, they really need to meet some informal but important criteria:
1.) Enduring Relevance & Longevity:
You need to be able to transcend time. Timelessness. Sounds heavy and groovy, right? Icons don't just fade away with the next trend cycle. They develop a long-lasting legacy that remains relevant across generations and often beyond their own death.
2.) Deep Symbolism & Representation:
Icons need to represent something beyond their own grandiosity. They need to represent a concept, a movement, or a set of values beyond themselves. We don't remember icons for who they were, mostly, but what they represented.
3.) That "IT" Factor:
Icons need to have unique talent, a magnetic presence, and a personal, unique brand of authenticity. They also operate as "rebels" who offer a new vision to make sense of societal, technological, or cultural changes. You may try to copy or emulate, but you can NEVER be the Original!
4.) Widespread Recognition & Universal Appeal:
"Everyone and their Mother" knows them. Icons possess a high degree of notability and are recognized by a wide, often international, audience. An icon will also often transcend and move beyond the relevance of their own professional field. They become more than just what they started out to be. They can often move into other areas of interest and profession.
5.) Significant Cultural Impact:
Icons often provoke conversations, change perspectives, and challenge the status quo.
6.) Fearlessness & Risk-Taking:
Icons are not deterred by the risk of failure and are willing to take audacious, sometimes polarizing risks.
These are, by no means, the only criteria, but some of the more major ones that may help us understand this cultural phenomenon a bit more.
Where did icons come from? When did this whole thing start?
The concept of celebrity culture and being an icon has its roots in the late 18th & 19th centuries. It evolved from increased literacy, the penny press, and the proliferation of portraiture, which made individuals "known" beyond their own local communities. In the late 19th century, the nouveaux riches sought status through personal publicity in the society columns and magazines of the day. While philanthropists, politicians, and other public figures were the best-known in the 1870s, by the 1890s, the new elite were people celebrated for their gossip value. This new cultural form of celebrity solidified between 1895 and 1920 with film, photography, and the Hollywood studio system, turning entertainers and figures into global icons. Today, social media has widened the scope and access to this niche and exclusive club, giving rise to "the influencer" as the latest form of a celebrity. However, 5 million followers in and of itself does not make one a cultural icon. There is more to being an actual cultural icon than that.
Who are some of these Icons?
Leonardo da Vinci
Cleopatra
Motzart
Isaac Newton
George Washington
Napoleon Bonaparte
Abraham Lincoln
Charles Darwin
Mahatma Gandhi
Albert Einstein
Marie Curie
Martin Luther King Jr.
Nelson Mandela
Marilyn Monroe
Elvis Presley
Muhammad Ali
Malala Yousafzai
The Beatles
Neil Armstrong
Misty Copeland
Oprah Winfrey
Madonna
Michael Jackson
Janet Jackson...
...and many, many more. The list is long and could go on for a while, but you can get the point.
While I myself can point out icons from the past and the icons of my time/generation (I am getting up there in age). So, my view of modern culture is tinted by a sense of who I think is/was culturally relevant from my era. However, I began to ask myself, "Who are the new icons of today? Who are the Modern Icons of this next generation?" These individuals would likely be starting out in their young careers. This question seemed to not only (for whatever reason) decide to take up residency in my brain, but also began to develop the idea and concept for this illustration series. So, I started taking the idea more seriously. I began to really put some thought and research into who Millennials, GenY, and Gen Alpha are looking to as cultural representatives for the future they want to see for this world. Some of these icon choices seem rather obvious. Some I had to really dig for. I was both frozen within my generation's view of the world while simultaneously trying to understand the way the world is being viewed now through a younger generation's eyes. I have to admit, it has been quite a challenge trying to dive into the mindset of a younger generation and try to see things from their point of view; try to see who it is that they look up to as trailblazing a new revolutionary vision for this world.
My generation is actually a micro-generation referred to often as Xennials. We are stuck in the middle of Gen-X and Millennials. This has both advantages and disadvantages. We are the generation that remembers the time both before and after the internet existed, before smartphones were a thing, and we have become a generation known for our ability to adapt to new environments, situations, and technologies. And while that is a great advantage, we also have a tendency to get stuck within the nostalgia for our own youth.... but I digress. Let's get back to the art.
After deciding that, not only did I want to illustrate some sort of portraits of these new and emerging cultural icons, but I also wanted to blend this idea of portrait with that of an animal allegory. Why, you may ask? As an illustrator, I am drawn to and compelled by narrative. A portrait is nice, but a portrait that can tell a story is better. Animal allegories are a powerful narrative device for telling stories.
An animal allegory uses personified animal characters to represent human behaviors, social values, or historical figures, often for satire or moral instruction. Animals often symbolize traits like loyalty (dogs) or strength (bulls), allowing creators to discuss complex issues such as political corruption, societal structures, or psychological experiences in a simplified or symbolic manner. They enhance understanding, facilitate safe exploration of sensitive topics, and make abstract concepts more engaging and memorable for the audience. Not to mention that as an illustrator, I find it a lot of fun to draw people as personified animals. I couldn't tell you why. I just love it! lol
I love a great animal allegory! One of my absolute favorites is Disney's Robin Hood. Disney could have done ANYTHING with the source material. They could have had human characters tell the story, but they chose to tell it through personified animals. Is this why we still remember this 1973 classic? So why did Disney choose allegory? Disney had desired to adapt the European stories of Reynard the Fox as early as 1937. While Reynard was too much of a "villainous" anti-hero, animating Robin as a fox allowed the studio to keep the clever trickster archetype while making him a charming hero for children. Art Director, Ken Anderson, suggested the animal approach to align with the studio's specialty, aiming to recreate the appeal of characters like The Three Little Pigs for a new generation. The animals were chosen to reflect human personalities—Robin as a crafty fox, Little John as a loyal bear, and Prince John as a cowardly, weak lion. Also, after the success of anthropomorphic animals in The Jungle Book and The Aristocats, this style was familiar and efficient for the animators. The allegory just fit like a glove and made sense for the studio at the right time. It also made a timelessly endearing classic film that I still watch often to this day.
We discuss all these things so that we can talk about the subject at hand...
Chappell Roan (They/Them).
Chappell Roan is considered a Modern Icon because they blend unapologetic queer artistry with campy, drag-inspired pop, creating a "Midwest Princess" persona that celebrates self-expression. Their rise from being dropped by a major label to selling out shows with hits like "Pink Pony Club" represents a resilient, authentic, and queer-affirming cultural shift.
Roan’s music and persona are deeply rooted in their identity as a queer individual, providing celebratory, unapologetic representation for the LGBTQ+ community. Their performances and fashion, described as a mix of "pretty and scary/tacky," are heavily influenced by drag culture, burlesque, and theater. They often invite local drag queens to perform with them. Raised in a conservative Missouri household, their artistic journey from small-town life to queer pop stardom resonates as a story of resilience. Their live shows are often described as high-energy, immersive parties, contributing to a "cult" following.
A few years ago, when I was still on META/Instagram, I ran a story that took a poll. My inquiry was: If Chappell Roan could be any animal, what would they be? I got several different and interesting answers: A bunny, a roan horse, and a ram were all interesting choices that people submitted. In the end, I went with someone's suggestion of the Roan Antelope. I know that it's just a clever coincidence that they share the same name, but it actually goes beyond that surface detail. The Roan Antelope is a large, savanna-dwelling antelope found in Western, Southern, and parts of Central and Eastern Africa. In literature, the antelope is often used to represent grace, swiftness, agility, and a wild, untamable nature. Wild. Regal. Graceful. Untameable. I thought this suited Roan very well. So, I began my research into different press images of Chappell Roan that I thought might transform well into the allegorical roan antelope.
I looked through a lot of images. There are many different and wonderful visages/incarnations that Chappell Roan has created. All of them were very striking and could fit the bill for what I was looking for in particular. They would ALL make great illustrations. There were so many choices. However, I kept coming back to one image in particular. I couldn't tell you why, but it kept drawing me back into it, like it was calling to me. Perhaps the place where inspiration and ideas come from might have been trying to guide me to this image, knowing that it was "the one." Though, the more I sat with this image, the more I came to understand why it pulled me in as it did. Roan is seated at a mirror in a dressing room. They are dressed in a lace/shear outfit. They are looking directly into the camera as if daring it. Yet, there's also a vulnerability in this look that is almost like an invitation. The choice of outfit (fabrics that have a translucency), the choice of location (a space where one gets ready/prepares) Theres a great sense of vulnerability for an individual that is normally so guarded and private. It seemed that for the instance of one camera shot, they invite us in to sit with them (for the small duration of time it takes them to get ready) and know them a little better. That really appeals to me: real human moments captured by the flash. This image was a perfect choice for my allegory. A wild untameable presence that, for a single instance, is allowing us to visit them beyond the veil.
One of the most venerated Marian icons in the world,
is an important example of early Italo-Byzantine sacred art.
Traditionally believed to have been painted by St. Luke and later brought to Rome,
the icon is housed in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
While its precise date of origin is debated, stylistic analysis places it within the 6th to 9th century.
Now that I had my main image of Roan and my other image references, it was now time to translate everything into a new allegorical vision. I pulled from one other area of Art History for this composition. I wanted there to be a reference and influence from Byzantine Art (which I have a strong affinity for). In Byzantine art, the halo and symmetry are fundamental, interconnected elements designed to convey spiritual, theological, and imperial authority rather than realistic representation. They transform art into a "window to the divine," emphasizing that subjects exist in a timeless, heavenly, and orderly realm. Symmetry in Byzantine Art represents and creates a sense of profound order, stability, and immutability, reflecting the unchanging nature of divine truth. I wanted there to be a simulation of symmetry in this illustration without it being strictly symmetrical. Just the appearance. I also added a halo around their head. The halo serves as a visual marker of holiness, divinity, and divine favor, signifying a person illuminated by God's grace. Some might see the concept of icons or of the cult of celebrity as another form of the Golden Cow (a religious tale from the Christian theology). By Christian definition, this would be true. But I'm not a Christian. I am an agnostic, and see that each of us carry no only the light of divinity, but also the dark shadow within us. I do believe there is something out there greater than ourselves, but I know that it is impossible to understand it and impossible to define it. I don't buy into man-made deities. They were created by man and man alone to try to either understand the universe and our place in it, or more commonly, to control others. As the cool kids say these days... "That's not the look."
By Deifying or "Saint-ing" my modern icons, I attempt to convey that I see icons as our way of trying to understand our own sense of divinity. If we can see that in others, we can see that within ourselves and begin to tap into that, expanding our understanding of this universe and our place within it.
The last detail that merges Roan with the Roan antelope is Roan's fabulous performance makeup visages. When I saw the facial markings on the animal, I KNEW that I could transform that into something Roan, themselves, might create and wear for one of their performances. I have looked at several images of Roan on my search to find the one that would make sense for this project, and I have loved seeing the various "faces" they have created for themselves. They are fantastic and brilliant. I hoped I was able to bring that sense of imagination into this illustration of them.
This pretty much wraps up everything I wanted to say about this illustration. I hope it inspires you all as it has inspired me. I look forward to sharing more from this Illustration Series with you. I hope it inspires you to find new ways in which to tell your own stories. With that being said, I leave you all with my favorite (at the moment) Chappell Roan song.
until next time,
Keep dreaming, keep sketching, keep thinking, keep laughing, and most important of all, keep making art.
LEWIS
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