Briar Rose is an alternative and art model from Italy with a sincere love for artistry. But she is not your typical alternative model. Instead, she thrives off romantic characters that she creates. Characters that are drawn from her love of myths, folklore and Gothic artists like Victoria Francès. Keep reading to understand just how different she is!
Photography by Jacques Rarraz[/caption]Tell us about your career as model. How did you get started? In my late teenage years I started growing fond of the romantic gothic culture as a whole, especially of its artistic side. I was a big fan of the Spanish illustrator Victoria Francès, and I wanted to bring a little of the beauty of her drawings in my everyday life. I bought, or made, lacy skirts and corsets and used to go to parks with friends to take photos in them and spend a fun afternoon together. I posted the photos we took online, on DeviantArt, where Luis, a Belgian photographer also known as Image of You, noticed them and asked me to pose for him. We met in Paris, where I was for my high school diploma present, and with that first shooting in 2009 I discovered my true love for photography.Did you always want to be a model or did you have other career aspirations when you were growing up? If I had the chance to meet the teenage me and tell her she would become a model in a couple of years, she would have burst into laughter and told me "Yeah, enough with the joking, I'll go back to my book now." I was the complete opposite of a little girl who wants to become a model: nerdy, often called "ugly", I was more interested in novels than in makeup. I wanted to become an anthropologist or a UN ambassador. Growing up, I felt the need to direct myself towards a more artistic career. Still, I don't see modeling in my future: it's just a temporary passion and part-time job.If you had to choose, which would be your favourite genre? I love conceptual shootings. As I said before, I wanted to become an anthropologist, and I love myths and folklore in general. I like to bring stories and traditions in my photos. Sometimes I even bring my studies in them, like when I took a series of photos about shamanism. There are also times when I try to represent the lyrics of a song or a poetry I'm fond of. It's not just your usual alternative photography.What's it like to be an alternative model in Italy? Is the community strong? Alternative models have quite a hard time in Italy: we're still quite traditional here. The alternative scene is slowly growing in these last years, and most models are supportive to each others, but photographers often look for the "Suicide Girl" clichè. It's quite difficult to find someone willing to make something really creative.You say that you aim for your images to be like an artwork. You say "It's like acting, just in a frozen moment." Could you tell us more about this? Do you think more models should keep this mindset?I really want people who look at my photos to feel something. When posing, I always keep in mind the story I want to tell, of the emotions I want to convey. I used to act in theatre and I bring a lot of that in my modeling work. I'm like an actress, but I can't use my voice, so I have to put a double effort in being expressive with just my body and looks. I think this is a good mindset for models who want to "tell" something in their photos. If it's just work, for example a fashion ad, there are other things to concentrate on.
Photography by Sybelle[/caption]You seem quite political! You choose not to shoot with furs, cigarettes and in ways that "convey a negative or objectified image of the feminine body". Could you tell us more about this choices? Do you consider yourself a feminist?I would define myself "ethic" rather than "political", as I don't follow any political belief but have a strong personal moral. Since I know that my photos have a public, I don't want to give a bad example. Smoking is bad for your health, but if I shoot with a cigarette in my mouth I would convey the idea that smoking is cool and sexy, and I don't want that. I love animals and try to respect the environment: I recycle a lot and use cruelty free products for my everyday and shooting makeup. As a woman, I do consider myself a feminist, but this doesn't mean I wish for a female supremacy over men. I just think everyone should be respected, whatever choice they make with their body and life. Yes, I shoot sexy photos, but those are not intended to please anyone but myself and they completely fit my taste and comfort zone. I'm very careful when choosing which works to accept, as I want to feel 100% ok with the image of myself in the final result.What do you consider your career highlights so far?I might say being published on online or paper magazines, or having the chance to work with artists I admired, but what I find truly satisfactory is when by chance I meet in real life one of my internet fans, and he or she reconizes me and tells me that my work gives him/her emotions, and that I should keep it up. It's also great when younger girls tell me that I'm an example to them, of how you can work with your appearance and still be nerdy and smart, and helped them to feel better about themselves.Do you have any advice for models just starting out who find you inspiring? Be safe. Stay true to yourself. Take chances. Put your heart in what you do. You're amazing, no matter what they tell you.What's next for Briar Rose? Do you have any incredible plans, or any hopes and dreams for 2015? For the moment, I just really wish I'll have more time to dedicate to photography after my university degree: my last exams are taking all my energies away. After that, I'd like to create a deeper connection between photography and the other forms of art I dedicate myself to, like belly-dance and costume making!That was utterly inspiring! If you want to see more inspirational words and work from Briar Rose you can find them at her Facebook page, on Instagram @BriarRose9 or on Tumblr. Don’t forget to check out the gallery below for some of Briar Rose’s favourite pictures!
Photography by Anna Lucylle
Photography by Nearco Giberti
Photography Luca Rubbi
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