Alina Mickelson

In For My Next Act (Margette), Alina Mickelson uses drag as a tool to explore her past experience with dating violence, the ways mass media depictions of such relationships have shaped her perception of reality, and her ongoing journey to reclaim confidence in the aftermath. Alina’s alter ego, Margette, represents an extension of herself-an embodiment of her most confident self. Through multimedia techniques, Alina brings to life a dressing room for Margette, which serves as both a physical space for this once-suppressed character and a critique of societal expectations placed on victims of abuse, where they are expected to perform as the “perfect victim.”

Alina Mickelson is a photographer and mixed media artist from Austin, Texas. Her work was previously featured in the Transitory Spaces: Urban Reflections exhibition at Galerie D in Paris, France, in spring 2024.