Chimera
By Hannah Butalid
Chimera: a fire-breathing beast in Greek mythology with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent.
Once a force to be reckoned with, the contemporary definition of Chimera has shed much of its mythical terror. Nowadays, the term is used to describe beings of mixed genetic composition — a biological phenomenon otherwise known as “chimerism.”
For Ines Antoine, a first-year on RefineLA’s Creative Production team, chimerism is not just a definition, it’s a reality. Coming from Dominican and Belgian descent, Antoine feels like a Chimera of sorts: a fusion of traits drawn from each culture.
As the creative mind of Chimera, Antoine hopes to tell the story of mixed-race individuals. “Chimera is a matter of identity,” says Antoine, “You don’t have to be more of one thing, or less of another thing.”
Opulence against a grayscale, Chimera delves into themes of nonconformity, personal expression, and individuality. Antoine hopes her work encourages viewers to ask themselves: What makes life bright? What brings beauty to people?
Ultimately, the avant-garde exposition shows that chimerism is not something to fear or conceal, but a feat to embody and champion.
The Creative Mind of Chimera
Though born in California, Antoine spent most of her childhood and early adolescence in the suburbs of North Carolina. Antoine credits her distinct Californian-Carolinian upbringing to complicating her sense of identity.
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“Where I grew up, I never had the space to explore who I was and be able to accept every part of me,” Antoine reflects. Too “whitewashed” for California and not white enough for the Carolinas, Antoine did not confront this internal conflict until it became impossible to ignore.
Unable to speak Spanish with her mother’s side of the family, yet unable to relate fully to her father’s, Antoine often felt estranged — an imposter to both worlds. Chimera aims to bridge this disconnect, offering mixed-race individuals a community formed with shared stories, borrowed parts, and the beauty of being biracial.
Fantasy Based in Realism
Beyond its symbolic resonance, Antoine describes the Chimera as “fantasy based in realism.” Art history supports this paradox. Despite its mythological origins, the Chimera has been historically rendered with uncanny, lifelike features.
Every detail, down to the glint of each scale on the serpent’s tail, realized to a tee. This intentionality transcends the canvas and onto the grayscale. To evoke the creature’s metaphysical presence, Antoine turned to hyper-maximalism — an evolution of maximalism.
Characterized by layered textiles, clashing animal prints, and chunky jewelry, hyper-maximalism celebrates intentionality and individuality. An organized chaos with intentional excess, each studded belt and feather boa works in tandem to tell a story, channeling both the spirit of Chimera and the identities held within.
Chimera Obscura
Intended to highlight the unique perspectives of mixed-race individuals, it was essential for the faces of this project to reflect that experience. Models Alina Beaman and Sylas Umoren — both of half-Japanese descent — epitomize the essence of the Chimera: nonconformity, personal expression, and individuality.
In the spirit of hyper-maximalism, Beaman’s look layers faux pelts over a tribal-print teal dress, its hem softened by lace and strengthened by tartan tights. Silver and gold pendants pierce the ensemble, and a pair of Victorian boots completes the look with vintage charm.
Umoren’s look fashions an embroidered gown atop a mahogany underskirt and lace legwarmers. A feather boa drapes around his neck, and a gallery of belts decorate his waist — adding structure and flare to the finished look.
The direction for makeup was not exempt from hyper-maximalism either. Each pigmented, precise stroke evokes the same “fantasy based in realism” — a state of being creature-like and otherworldly, yet based in intention.
“I wanted to create a visual of clashing,” says Antoine, “All these pieces come together to create something that’s otherworldly, but still based in substance.” With this, the use of hypermaximalism becomes a statement on conformity, personal expression, and identity.
These styles are not usually seen on the street, against a muted backdrop. But when they are, they interrupt the status quo — becoming a burst of color in an otherwise, monochromatic world.
So, what is it that makes the world interesting?
Chimera is everything but a bore, piquing viewers’ interest at each visual cue. The juxtaposition of hypermaximalism against the grayscale is a testament to our contradicting histories, backgrounds, and lived experiences. After all, these attributes are what make us unique — what make the world interesting.
As for Antoine, this project means shedding light on the unique beauty of being mixed. “There’s a lack of representation of mixed race people,” reflects Antoine, “By celebrating my mixed identity, it builds community for a lot of people who feel like they don’t fit in.”
In creating a space for mixed individuals, Chimera offers us a broader lesson: to protest conformity, express ourselves freely, and embrace the individuality that sets us apart.
