ON FIRE

Raquel Nave will be having a show of her work at
Mountain Fold Gallery from June 17th through July 17th.
http://www.mfoldgallery.com
Source: Contributing Editor









"Raquel Nave talks to Editor-in-Chief Matthew Edelstein about sexual expression,
art, fashion and owning the objectification."

ME: How old are you?
RN: 23

ME: Where are you from?
RN: Just north of San Francisco.

ME: How did you get started modeling?
RN: I was discovered by a student photographer at Starbucks.

ME: You’re the only girl represented by the Paris male model agency Success.
Does that arrangement offer any advantages? Disadvantages?
RN: I’m not sure I can find many disadvantages for being
the only woman at a mens agency. The agents are really great people
who I’ve known for years. They’ve seen me grow up, they get me, no bullshit,
no trying to shove you in that cookie cutter mold that so many
womens agencies try to do. They care about the individual, that’s what
really makes them special. We’re a team and we’re in it together.

ME: What is the relationship between modeling and the art that you create?
RN: I was inspired to start taking my own pictures because of modeling.
When I first started modeling I was used to doing shoots with friends and going
through the creative process together.. having creative input. So I got to help
create the image and how I’d look in that image. And as a model when you
continue into the high fashion world, it doesn’t work that way. You’re being told
what to do and everyone else on the shoot gets to have creative input, except for you.
So I started getting quite frustrated you know? Like this is no fun, I wanted to
do this so I could create! I found my pop’s old polaroid camera and it all
started from there. So for me with the photos I’m doing it’s having full power
over my image and what is being created within that image – here’s what I want to say,
here’s how I want to look, here’s what I want to do. My rebellion to what
I’m doing most every other day as a model.





ME: What’s your process for creating art?
RN: My process.. hmm… It’s all very organic the way I work.
I want my work to be primal, raw, free. Without intrusive over-thinking.
So my process is following what I feel, being in the moment.
At the very least, truly living and being aware in that moment.
Capturing what I see and feel then. My other process is just getting
drunk and naked. That always seems to work out about right.

ME: How do you reconcile the objectification of the modeling industry
with the fact that you use your own image in your personal work?
RN: It’s me owning the objectification. Half of the self-portraits I do,
I wouldn’t do the same image with another photographer.

ME: Do you create characters in your art or are you playing yourself?
RN: Hmmmm. Interesting question… I can create characters with the way I look,
but in the end all of these characters are different sides of myself.

ME: What role does sex play in your art?
RN: Sex is the ultimate primal drive for our existence isn’t it? E
verything we do, in the end, is about sex and carrying on our race,
whether we like it or not. And I like it. So sex, yeah, it’s a big part of my work.




ME: How does your own life experience inform your art?
RN: My life is what I make, so everything captures what I live, what I’m living.
It also documents my own journey and evolution into being free, with myself and others.
Or at least I hope it does.

ME: What are your inspirations and influences?
RN: I’m quite obsessed with all the weird ideas and views on sex and nudity
we’ve developed as a society because of religion. That’s always one of the
biggest influences for me. Constantly questioning societal and personal repression.
Other than that, beer, nakedness, laughing, lovers, being free,
having fun, American outlaws.

ME: You just shot a film – tell me more about that experience.
RN: Yeah right now I’m working on a new film based on Cocteau’s Les Enfants
Terrible with Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, director of Johnny Mad Dog. I play Liz,
the sister, to Boyd Holbrook’s Paul, and Omahyra Mota plays Agathe.
Its an amazing experience. Fucking therapy and a half man.
But it’s nice to have a reason to actually push yourself and rip up old shit
and be raw and 100% honest. The good. The bad. I’ve never really felt safe
enough to let myself go all the way there before. You know, into that darkness
we do everything to avoid. It feels a lot nicer when you own it. I can’t wait
till we have the film done and get to share it. It’s just something really
special to all of us. Wonderfully dark and perverted and primal.





ME: What actors and directors would you love to work with?
RN: Steve Buscemi, Sean Penn, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Bridges, Patricia Arquette,
Angelina Jolie, Maggie Gyllenhall, Benicio Del Toro, Robert Deniro, Al Pacino,
David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, John Waters…..this list could go on for awhile.
How is acting different than modeling or making art? In modeling I give
something, but I don’t have to give everything of myself. In my work I’m
giving myself, but only what I want to give. In acting I have to give everything.

ME: What’s your favorite city?
RN: Right now I’m having a love affair with Brooklyn.

ME: Where do you like to go out in New York?
RN: Shitty dives with a good jukebox and a pool table.


ME: What’s your favorite city for partying?
RN: Anywhere I am with good friends and good booze and good music.

ME: What type of music and bands inspire you?
RN: Metal, Stoner, Hardcore, Outlaw country… Eyehategod, Black Flag, Danzig, Misfits,
Hank Williams and III, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Entombed, Dead Moon,
Melvins, Cro-Mags, Electric Wizard, Saint Vitus, High on Fire, Mr. Cash.