The ‘Pale Priestess’ Ragnhild Jevne has been a figure of the international fashion world for over 15 years, working with creative talent, including Alexander Wang and Dolce & Gabbana. Coupled with her identity as a model is also her work as a visual artist. We sat down with Ragnild to chat about her career and what inspires her as a fashion model and artist.

LM: You have had such an illustrious career as a model in the fashion industry. How did you start your career in modelling and fashion?

RJ: It is not a glamourous story. I wasn’t scouted at a mall as so many young girls do. People often told me, “oh, you should model, you are tall, you should model”. I was intrigued, as I knew that it could mean an extra source of income to earn some pocket money, so I looked up Norway’s biggest modelling agency in the yellow pages and sent them a letter with some photos. I was 14 at the time and was told to come back at 16. The day I turned 16, I got signed, and that week I had my first job in a cover story for a Norwegian fashion magazine Thhadaa.

LM: Over the years, you have worked with renowned fashion designers and brands. Can you tell us about some of your experiences in the fashion world?

RJ: I have loved being part of the fashion world, as I have been fortunate to work with highly talented, creative people with a great vision. As a creative myself, I have enjoyed being a piece in their puzzle to fulfil what they have been trying to create. As their blank canvas, I was always eager to go into the roles I played in front of the lens or walking down the runway. Some of my highlights were walking for shows like Givenchy, Max Mara, Dolce & Gabbana and shoots for Japanese and French Vogue.

LM: What has been your favorite magazine cover, and why?

RJ: My cover for Japanese Vogue. It is so minimal and simple, yet so strong. Just my face, almost like a painted portrait from one of the great masters. Daniel Jackson photographed it with makeup by Linda Cantello.

LM: You have studied graphics and industrial design. How do you think this aesthetic background has helped you in the modelling world?

RJ: I think my creative background has helped me being willing to fulfil the vision of the photographers, stylists etc. I was always on board and excited, and I believe the team could feel that excitement from me.

LM: Tell us what you love most about design?

RJ: My love for design has always been there since I was a young child. I was always so curious about how things were made. I even opened up and destroyed a hairdryer once to see how it was constructed to my mom's frustration. My curiosity is still there with me when I see objects of design that I love, just wondering how the designer came to the final decision of a curve on an armrest or the ergonomics in how we hold an iPhone. Most people don’t think about how every item that crosses our palm has come to be, and it’s this story that has become my purpose and that I strive to communicate through my art.

LM: You have been an exhibiting artist for several years now. How did this path come about?

RJ: My path into becoming an artist happened very naturally. I was working on a personal project for my graphic design portfolio, “Mental Mechanism”. With this series, I wanted to convey the humble human hand with paint in contrast to the machine of printed elements. As the paint was so time-consuming, I quickly realized that I couldn’t sell them for cheap, and that took me to understand that they were best sold in a gallery. I got my first solo show, and after, I was smitten.

LM: Can you tell us a bit more about your practice?

For me, my work is a continuous conversation I have with myself daily. It’s a way for me of documenting and sharing stories around production and sustainability. Lately, I have been working primarily with oil paint on linen. I strive to create this very textured feel through layers of oil. It’s almost like I want the layers to be a symbol of the different production stages and lure the viewer into trying to examine how it’s all come together. I want the viewers’ attention for as long as I can have it.

LM: Where do you find inspiration, and what is your working process like?

I find inspiration in everything that surrounds me, what I see, what I listen to, what I like. My work process usually starts with an idea. From there, I will research imagery and use that to begin sketching digitally. My work is very methodically; I want to know precisely what will end up on the canvas. My expression comes out when working within “masked” areas of the painting with explosive paint. A painting is done whenever the layers and texture of the image feel right.

LM: You have mentioned that sustainability is a thematic issue for you. Can you tell us a bit more about your views on this topic?

As my background is in industrial design, I got an acute awareness of the process involved in the development of almost everything that’s made and for not to talk about what happens upon disposal. I see evidence of my knowledge in my consumer behavior. I don’t need much; I buy quality over quantity, and what I hope for is that if more people could live this way, so much would change—less demand, less waste, less production, less gas emission etc.

Interview: Linda Mateljan

Ragnhild Jevne: On Art, Process, and Sustainability.