VIOLA MALASPINA
Are you vegetarian/would you like to be vegetarian?
I’m not and I probably wouldn’t want to be one: I’m not a huge meat consumer (i don’t really like red meat) hence I don’t feel that guilty about it, but certainly I don’t have the necessary will to make such a huge change in my life at the moment.
Did you study photography in school?
Yes, in fact I just graduated in Photography. It took me a while to decide for such a career (I studied modern literature before), but I’m quite happy with it: I prefer doing something that I love that requires a bit of sacrifice and commitment rather than doing something more comfortable but that I’m really not that passionate about.
A picture that you would love to take.
The first thing that pops in my mind is a satisfying self-portrait. I’ve always had a hard time dealing with my appearance which is why I mostly take pictures of strangers rather that focusing on myself.
Do you sell your prints online? Why?
Actually I don’t. I did it for a little while back when I started studying photography, but right now all my works are printed in fine-art limited editions, signed and numbered. I do have my favorite printing lab, so whenever someone wants to purchase one of my works they speak directly to me and I take care of the whole process.
Have you ever attended photographic workshops?
I haven’t. I attended evening courses while I was in high school (at the Istituto Italiano di Fotografia in Milano) since I wanted to figure out whether photography was just a side note in my life: it turns out it’s pretty much the centre of it.
Do you like looking at your old pictures?
I do and I don’t. I do because most of my works has a very long and complicated birth and there’s always quite a lot of great memories entwined with the images. I have to admit though that sometimes I can be very harsh with my previous photographs and I tend to see all the little things that aren’t quite right so I try not to look back too often otherwise I might just throw it all away.
Do you have prints of your works hung on your walls?
Yes, I have to admit I do.
Right now I have one of my “the portrait” series hung in my bedroom.
What social networks are you using? Are they working for your career?
I’m almost everywhere as far as social networking goes (twitter, tumblr, facebook etc.) but I wouldn’t say they’re the key piece in managing my career: what truly matters are the actual shows, where I get to meet people and talk about my work – that’s where most of the response comes from. I must say that Facebook might be helpful in promoting such events and a whole lot of people visiting my website come from twitter, but that’s about it.
Do you believe in horoscopes?
I really don’t.
A picture that is very important for you.
I have to say this is a hard question since I’m attached to most of my pictures. If I may be a little naif and romantic I’d say this one: cargocollective.com/violamalaspina/the-portrait (the 3rd, the only male portrait) he was a stranger when we met to shoot the portrait and now he’s the man I love. Quite a leap!
Your comfy food.
Oh my god, where do I start?
Food is the answer to most of my questions: I tend to eat whenever something’s bothering me, but if I had to choose one I’d probably go with cheese (or any cheesy snack of sort).
Are you currently planning any trip?
I’m moving to New York within the fall: does it count?
The photographer you would like to spend time working with.
There are many photographers I love, obviously, but the first one I’d like to work with is certainly Duane Michaels: his work is just wondrous, unbelievably enthralling.
What is the best photographic book you have seen and why.
Well I have a passion for photographic books, in fact I’m (very) slowly building a collection at home. At the moment my favorite is Tim Walker’s “Story Teller”: I’ve wanted it for so long (since last December when I went to the show in London) and I got it a couple of months ago. The printing is really good, the size is appropriate for his luminous and sometimes complicated (as far as props and sets go) work and it’s just so mesmerizing: it’s such a great compendium of his work and I find it very well designed, extremely elegant.
website: www.violamalaspina.it
email: mail@violamalaspina.it
blog: violamalaspina.tumblr.com
tumblr: lamorehaidenti.tumblr.com
twitter: @lamorehaidenti
