You could say that Julia Peirone is a master of abrupt, awkward moments. In her series "More Than Violet", the Stockholm-based photographer takes clever portraits of young teenage girls who look like they’re on MDMA, totally drugged out on whatever, eyes half closed or open, completely wired, in unexpected and unguarded shots. Some girls are twisting their hair around their fingers, others are chewing bubble gum. All in all, you could very well say these girls look stupid. And you’d think these tweens would cringe or freak out at the thought of looking this way in photos. Think again. Peirone says they loved it.
Her process is completely light hearted – and sober. The concept is about losing control (minus the drugs). After all, she just jokes around with the models until they forget the camera is there. Then, she snaps the picture.
Peirone has studied art and photography in Gothenburg and Stockholm, and has had countless solo exhibitions in New York, Copenhagen, Paris, Basel and Helsinki. One claim to fame is her ‘portrait of honour’ to the Portrait Collection of the National Museum in Sweden. She has been published in three books with a fourth in the works, and is collected in prestigious private and public art collections, from Norway to Finland.
Between art exhibitions and book productions, Peirone took some time out to talk about hunting, catching and admitting her own wrong moments – like why she hates being a photographer.
VICE: How did the "More Than Violet" series come about?
Julia Peirone: It was from a mistake from the beginning, a portrait of a girl that I took in London. She closed her eyes when I took the picture and in some way, I got hooked on that picture. I started to wonder about the failed images and the wrong moments.
Who was the girl you shot ‘by accident’ in London and is she a part of this series?
It is just a girl that I took a photo of in the streets. She's not really a part, more like a starter of the whole project, but yes in some way a part of the project.
Were the girls on drugs? They seem a bit out of it.
No, but they lost control over their faces and losing control is close to taking drugs or other kind of conditions when you lose control over yourself.
What inspires you within showing the "wrong moments?"
What inspires me is to find something different in what we usually see. And I like the uncontrolled movements because a lot of things happen with gestures and eyes etc.
How old were the models? How did they feel about the final results?
They were between 13 and 16 years old. They thought it was funny. When they came to the opening, they took photos with their mobile phones in front of the pictures. I think the younger generation is so used of photos of themselves, so maybe they don’t care that much about it.
Her process is completely light hearted – and sober. The concept is about losing control (minus the drugs). After all, she just jokes around with the models until they forget the camera is there. Then, she snaps the picture.
Peirone has studied art and photography in Gothenburg and Stockholm, and has had countless solo exhibitions in New York, Copenhagen, Paris, Basel and Helsinki. One claim to fame is her ‘portrait of honour’ to the Portrait Collection of the National Museum in Sweden. She has been published in three books with a fourth in the works, and is collected in prestigious private and public art collections, from Norway to Finland.
Between art exhibitions and book productions, Peirone took some time out to talk about hunting, catching and admitting her own wrong moments – like why she hates being a photographer.
VICE: How did the "More Than Violet" series come about?
Julia Peirone: It was from a mistake from the beginning, a portrait of a girl that I took in London. She closed her eyes when I took the picture and in some way, I got hooked on that picture. I started to wonder about the failed images and the wrong moments.
Who was the girl you shot ‘by accident’ in London and is she a part of this series?
It is just a girl that I took a photo of in the streets. She's not really a part, more like a starter of the whole project, but yes in some way a part of the project.
Were the girls on drugs? They seem a bit out of it.
No, but they lost control over their faces and losing control is close to taking drugs or other kind of conditions when you lose control over yourself.
What inspires you within showing the "wrong moments?"
What inspires me is to find something different in what we usually see. And I like the uncontrolled movements because a lot of things happen with gestures and eyes etc.
How old were the models? How did they feel about the final results?
They were between 13 and 16 years old. They thought it was funny. When they came to the opening, they took photos with their mobile phones in front of the pictures. I think the younger generation is so used of photos of themselves, so maybe they don’t care that much about it.
Annons
Was the shooting process fun or gruelling?
Very fun! And exhausting, the shoot is always very intense.
**Did *you give the girls* any instructions?**
No instructions at all. Rather at the contrary. I wanted to catch them being relaxed and not posing in front of the camera. So i just talked a lot and joked during the shoot so they would forget the camera.
What did the girls’ parents think about the photos?
They were OK with it. I explained the whole project and what I was looking for.
What is your favourite thing about being a photographer?
To hunt and to catch.
What is your least favourite thing about being a photographer?
That it's so frustrating and difficult sometimes. You have to be in the right mood and have the energy for it. It's always a challenge to shoot. But it's also that thing that makes it so fun. I feel that there is a love/hate relationship with photography.
What do you have coming up next?
Next up, I participate in shows in Washington in November at the Swedish House, and New York in February 2014 at the Aperture Foundation, curated by Greger Ulf Nilson. My upcoming book is called Waiting for Red Pigtails and will be published by Sailor Press, the release date is undetermined.
Will you continue doing portraits or try something else?
I will probably do some portraits but also other things. I am just working on some new projects, but that's too early to talk about.
Very fun! And exhausting, the shoot is always very intense.
**Did *you give the girls* any instructions?**
No instructions at all. Rather at the contrary. I wanted to catch them being relaxed and not posing in front of the camera. So i just talked a lot and joked during the shoot so they would forget the camera.
What did the girls’ parents think about the photos?
They were OK with it. I explained the whole project and what I was looking for.
What is your favourite thing about being a photographer?
To hunt and to catch.
What is your least favourite thing about being a photographer?
That it's so frustrating and difficult sometimes. You have to be in the right mood and have the energy for it. It's always a challenge to shoot. But it's also that thing that makes it so fun. I feel that there is a love/hate relationship with photography.
What do you have coming up next?
Next up, I participate in shows in Washington in November at the Swedish House, and New York in February 2014 at the Aperture Foundation, curated by Greger Ulf Nilson. My upcoming book is called Waiting for Red Pigtails and will be published by Sailor Press, the release date is undetermined.
Will you continue doing portraits or try something else?
I will probably do some portraits but also other things. I am just working on some new projects, but that's too early to talk about.
Annons
Cool. Thanks, Julia!See more of Julia's work on her website.
Follow Nadja on Twitter: @nadjasayejLike photography? Try these:A Photographer Is Documenting Oakland's Murder Shrines
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