ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Kindly tell us your full name and your country of origin
VERONICA – My name is Veronica Baldassari and I am Italian, I was born in Milan 46 years ago.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – How and when did you get started with photography
VERONICA – My father was a passionate photographer, I started posing for him when I was little and then I took my first Polaroid at 10 and I never stopped taking pictures.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Is photography your full time or is it a side job?
VERONICA – Yes,it is my full time job
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Let’s talk about your style of photography style, you seem to take photographs of mostly women for your works, why is that?
VERONICA – i photograph mainly women because they have a much more powerful emotional power than men. I think women have more courage in showing their feelings and this is an added value to photos that should not be underestimated.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Your style also seems a bit sensual and with a lot of sex appeal can you talk a bit on this?
VERONICA – I think, the woman is always a bit dramatic, highlighting different types of feelings and situations, and for this reasons she is very powerful, but I never forget that even in the worst of situations, the woman never neglects her sensuality and sex appeal.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Seeing that you are in Italy with a lot of beautiful landscapes and outdoors, we would think you would use the outdoors to create but you mostly shoot in the studio why is that?
VERONICA – In this moment of my life I try to tell a very static photograph story, where my women are the protagonists, it is a creative phase with a more studio approach, but in the future there will be outdoor settings.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – On a lighter note can you tell us a bit about your tattoos and how it affects your interaction with tattoo models?
VERONICA – I have many tattoos on my body made by very good artists. For me, tattooing is a form of art like photography, a decoration of the body without a particular dream, the fact that my models are tattooed is not a deliberate choice, I have no prejudices.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Your photo shoots look properly thought out and planned, from the model choice to accessories to the general overall mood of the photos, very well and meticulously executed, tell us how your planning right up to shooting comes to life
VERONICA – Each photo is carefully studied and designed. Each photo tells a story, the title contains the sense of the photo that gives a free interpretation to the viewer, nothing is left to chance, I carefully choose all the accessories, behind each photo there is a long search to create a very powerful emotional effect.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – What would you say are your challenges with photography and what are you doing to try and overcome them?
VERONICA – The big challenge that I intend to overcome is to go ahead with my idea of a non-commercial photography, which transmits a message, which is considered art, and which moves the consciences and emotions of the beholder. This is why I will continue to work hard, even if there will be many closed doors I believe that one day some gallery owner will notice me that I am the mirror of my photos and will believe in my projects.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – What inspired the killer queen project and can you tell us a bit about it?
VERONICA – killer Queen Project was inspired by my life experiences … all killer Queen women are me.
Killer Queens stages the human fragility of women in sexual choices, in the context of interpersonal relationships, in the management of emotions of human relationships in general.
I have always thought that demonstrating your feelings is the most powerful weapon in the world: pain, despair, anger, hatred, love, compassion, resentment and joy is an added value that we underestimate.
In all this I see a powerful woman, who suffers but does not accept compromises, who goes beyond banality and contentment.
Every emotion of strength, positive or negative as it may be, emotions are like a combustion that makes my women Powerful, something that makes them human and nowadays being human means going against the current, meaning not adapting to the mass, where everyone they want to be something they are not, to appear or to look like something they are not.
My Queens go beyond … emotions are like a fuel that trigger a spark that makes them powerful and true in their being, they want to show their strength with feelings because even if you show that you are afraid, that you are suffering, this makes you incredibly charming and super powerful and makes us human in a social way where everything is artifact and fake
With provocative illusion I stage the female sexual identity and the will of her subjects.
I developed my project trying to project my images beyond the mere aesthetic communication for its own sake, distorting the common vision of female sexuality by playing between the dream and the imagination of the observer.
I want to face the most common prejudices and the fears that come from it, pushing the observer beyond the embarrassment and towards the acceptance of the whole spectrum of female emotional sphere.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Do you have a favorite image and why?
VERONICA – I love them all, but if I had to choose: Russian Roulette, Maybe Tomorrow, Dress Code for your funeral
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – There seems to be a lot of women emancipation themes in your photography can you explain a bit more on this?
VERONICA – My women are fluctuating and powerful
They float on a thin line that divides hate and love, hope and despair, courage and cowardice, disappointment and satisfaction, respect and contempt … these women are brave, they are never afraid of being what they are.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – What will you say to young female photographers who look up to you and want to follow in your footsteps?
VERONICA – To young photographers I want to say to always go against the tide, to always be themselves because our photos are the mirror of what we are intimately, I say never to imitate anyone but to take inspiration from artists that make us excite and very important to use feelings like fuel to fuel your talent.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – What are you doing to make sure the world sees the beautiful works you are putting out daily?
VERONICA – I’m investing all of myself, I produce myself, I study and I never stop growing artistically, taking inspiration from the greatest photographers. I believe a lot in my talent, I have character and I am not afraid of the judgment of others, i never stop knocking at the doors of those who can give me a chance like you did.
ARTISTIC VIGILANTE – Thank you for talking with us. We do hope you continue to with the momentum you are currently going at.
you can find more of veronica baldassari and her works here