Photographer and youth worker, Milan, Italy
What are your projects past and present?
Bad Teeth Zine, Russian Glue Press and Rose Lettura
Please describe your photography style
I used to say I wouldn’t be doing photography if I knew how to draw. I think I have some funny and obscure ideas. But because I can’t draw that never happens. And yet my photography is probably the complete opposite. If anything, I’d say my photography style is dry, textured, interpersonal and probably never humorous.
How did you become interested in photography?
I remember starting taking photos during high school. My school was lucky enough to have a darkroom. At that time I was also putting on gigs in my town and utilising that time to also challenge myself at live music photography. I guess most people would relate my work with live music photography/punk scene with Bad Teeth Zine but it’s not personally my favourite body of work, just the most accessible. I guess where the interest most lies in is the independence and unique interchangeable variables of making a photographic image.
In what ways do you feel you have evolved as a creative, how has your practice changed over time?
I don’t know If I consider myself as a creative. I feel like I have to learn multiple times with my art. As in its not something that comes naturally to me. I often think my creativity comes out more in my day job. I think it needs to as you very much can be put on the spot and that’s when you adapt/get creative. And maybe because I have now associated it with that and I don’t see/do that in my photography work and I make a lot of mistakes, I don’t consider it creative? I think my practice started very solo and inward and then went outward and more collaborative with Russian Glue Press stuff and now going back inward again. I remember at one stage output became a huge focus and all I cared about/inspired by was thinking what the final product was going to look like. What materials was I going to use? And even more fascinating to me, what materials are even possible? Now I feel like I’m just going back to the start again and being like, how do you take a good photo..?
Can you talk a little about your profession and whether this has informed your photography style?
Well the only real “professional” career I’ve ever had is doing Youth Work. Started in the homelessness sector when I was 19 and have been working one on one with young people for more than 10+ years now in a variety of settings. I’d say when working with people in general, especially around adversity and challenging themes, you get used to what’s not said, understanding non-verbal communication, sitting with silence and visual ques. I would say that’s probably what I try to capture/look for and what I would hope gets translated in my photos.
What inspires your practice and where do you derive your interests from?
I’m always inspired when other people talk about what they are interested in/have passion for, always. I’m inspired by the adaptation to change willing or unwillingly faced by the young people I work with. I like reading a lot, photo zines/books, travel, I watch alot of cartoons, I like paper stock and alternative printing practices and I spend alot of my brain down time playing pinball.
What camera model and film type do you enjoy working with the most and why?
I never understand this question. I used to get asked it a lot when I would update the Bad Teeth Zine blog. Do people think if they get that camera and use the same film, they will get the same photo? I use the same camera I’ve always had ever since high school. Shooting gig stuff it’s my Pentax MZ-50 I think its called? Fuck I honestly don’t remember the name and did not bring it here with me. The fully manual one. Put a different lens on it but I like the body alot because its durable as at gigs and the only auto function it has is very important for me – automatic rewind – lifesaver at gigs. I like TMAX 400 for b/w film and I prefer the cool tones of Fuji over Kodak for colour film. Currently I’m travelling with my Olympus XA and Rollei 35s.
Taking into consideration your comment re equipment, can you discuss the processing side of things – what do you like to tweak in order to get the results you’re looking for?
Well it depends on what Im working on I guess. Like I said before, I can be a bit to output focused at times and Ilike to know exactly why Im working with a certain image, I think about the way in which I best want to present it. Processing can look like anything from using certain film stock and developers. For example, If I want negatives looking more chunky/contrasty I tend to use Rodinal or if I want a more even negs I like using Tmax for developing. Then in post, a whole host of different approaches could apply; time/filters/masking manipulation in the darkroom. I also like exploring alternative print methods like riso printing, relief printing, photocopy, liquid light etc
You’ve also been doing astrology and tarot for some time now. How did you first become interested in these two systems and can you explain the impact it has on your day to day life?
To keep it brief, tarot got into because I got a deck when I was younger and thought they were the traditional Italian playing cards I had grown up with. And in my early 20s I studied with a mentor for a few years learning astrology. The two interconnects quite nicely. As a day to day practice, it can be a great tool for self-reflection and in a bigger picture utilising these tools help me have space for understanding as well as using them for ritual work.
Could you describe the challenges you face as an artist
On a personal level – materials are expensive. I ask why too much instead of just doing it. I’m impatient. I give up/stop trying if I think it’s not good enough vs exploring. Also, I studied photography at Tafe level in my 30’s and I did not listen to what my teachers told me because I was too proud and now, I hear their voices in my head haunting me of past mistakes.
In your career what has been the most significant moment to date?
With my art stuff? Probably my first solo exhibition. It was at Light Leaks in Melbourne which was the best photo shop going for a while. Ran by two film crazed women, one I went to high school with. She asked me if I wanted to do an exhibition in the shop. It was next door to Astor Cinema. I got everyone I loved involved because I just wanted it to be a good time. My mum made food for the event, there were Arancini (Sicilian rice balls) I asked my friend to DJ. I remember I invited all my friends not just my punk mates, so it was a weird mix, which is the best mix. I also really enjoyed Russian Glue Press doing the Melbourne Art Book Fair and other general art book and zine fairs across the country. Working with others to produce a publication under RGP always made me happy in general. Even collaborating with the Melbourne photography scene in different ways like when Jess at Noir Darkroom said I could use the back of their gallery space when I was looking for a more permanent spot for my astrology/tarot readings. When I started working at Photography Imaging College as a photo technician is another highlight for me as well as a constant inspiration. Making new friends and talking shop with other photo nerds. And other significant moments for me like having my first cover on a book and an LP. Firsts like that.
Would you be interested in collaboration in the future and if so who would be on your radar?
I would love to work with some photographers here in Italy! Milano also has some great publishers/photographers, I recommend checking out Bolo Paper and Prosper Visionz.
I have to admit though, photography has not been on my mind at all. Its actually been pretty hard to be active with it and if anything, I’m far from practicing anything and in a slump.
On top of the whole Covid-19 situation, I have very recently been heavily responsible for a family member here which has been incredibly out of my depth, sudden and challenging. I can get pretty down about it but I am the only one here in Italy that is family. But yeah, firstly need to regain myself and work on my mental health a bit before I can even think about taking photos again. Or maybe I should start taking photos to feel more myself again….
What is the situation post covid where you are now? Has this had a profound effect on your art practice?
Yeah like I said above, I feel like I haven’t been doing anything with photography. I also don’t like other people processing my film so I just have rolls laying around not developed so that also adds to the lack of motivation I guess.
Italy got hit hard with Covid very early on. Wow that feels like so long ago now but I remember the first 2-3 months lock down. It hit a small town just outside of Milan first and then within maybe a month the national lock down started. Everything closed. Work, schools, everything. You needed to fill in a form and carry it with you every day if you left the house. You couldn’t cross regions. The only thing that was open was pharmacies and supermarkets. It was tough. Then summer happened and it partially opened. Summer with a mask on sucked. But for Italy in particular, seeing the piazza’s dead and no one at bars and all the fresh markets closed – such an innate daily community connection gone.
Fast forward to now and its completely different, everything is pretty much open. You still need to wear a mask out and about but vaccine is rolling out here and the number of cases are getting lower and lower every day. Start of June Italy will open up completely. I think that’s probably because Italy relies heavily on tourism during summer. It’s a risk but in a much better position than last year.
What are you hoping to achieve in the next 5 years?
I dont know. Right now Im not future minded at all to be honest.
Would like to be affluent enough to share with my family/friends? My own place with a dark room? Near a beach? Still as always with one foot in Australia the other in Italy?
If you could give one astrological insider flag note for 2021 what would it be?
There’s a lot of astrologers out there who practice mundane astrology – looking at worldly events.
I practice more individual astrology. I’m pretty sure I wrote my sort of ‘overview’ of the year up on the Rose Lettura Insta but the bigger themes are still in play from last year with a challenging aspect brining social unrest/protests. Pay attention from end of May to end of July for some more positive themes emerging for you personally and take note as that could come round again start of 2022. I think for the Northern Hemisphere these months are going to be almost like a spring break with everything re-opening for summer but personally, I think it’s going to be more of a ‘testing the waters’ sort of thing and not really a sign of going back to “normal”. Don’t think 2021 is the year to see it as going back to normal at all. November/December looks pretty challenging especially around that final challenging aspect possibly highlighting themes around more protests, people, power, structure, freedom challenges.
The responsibility of another must weigh heavy on your shoulders at present with all that is happening globally but particularly in Italy, perhaps you could draw upon this experience in the future to produce some really definable work but for now this responsibility is obviously the catalyst for your family members survival. I’d like to see you return to your practice once you feel healthy and able to, and I encourage you to share with the world what you see through your lens. It would be most welcomed if you could sign off the interview with some things that have gotten you through the last 12+ months whether it be a song, a book, particular artist etc.
Static Shock which was the last punk festival I went to and literally the last days before the first national lockdown in Italy, spending a social distanced summer snorkelling at Nervi, Sestri Levante and Boccadasse, still (somehow) travelling around Europe and the friendships/loves had, not having a working phone for 8 months (literally the stupidest and best thing ever) taking part in the Dutch Pinball Open, mates new and old and in particular shout out to MP Frings at Stamper Discs, sorry and thank you. Focaccia and pasta – sempre.
My summer read of 2020 was “Drive your plow over the bones of the dead” and summer banger was Mahmood – Moonlight Popolare and picking up a copy of Demob Teenage Adolescene 7′
Do you care to share any particular anecdotes?
I caught a plane with no pants on or with any ID on me once. It is possible.
Verna Bloom Electronics 