Ep. 3 of Figure Isms: Ingvild
“If I could show the world that you can be anything, you can do anything, there’s no rules to when to do what…you really can do whatever you want to do.”
My guest for episode three of Figure Isms is Ingvild. As we discuss her journey of being a nude art model, we touch on a range of topics that include her role in the movie business, her diorama work, getting over shame, being in a supportive relationship, and more. Throughout our conversation it's easy to get a sense of the importance creativity has been to Ingvild. To learn more about what this looks like to her follow the links below.
Show notes below!
Selected Links from the Episode
Connect with Ingvild: Website, Instagram 1, Instagram 2, Instagram 3
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
If You Could See Me Now by Peter Straub
The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis
Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Show Notes
Ingvild talks about being a costume designer for movies, an art nude model, and how she introduces her work to others. [2:04]
She describes how she grew up on the coast of Bodo, Norway; North of the Arctic Circle. [4:40]
As a child in the North she dreamt of modeling in the bigger city, which eventually led her to meet with Eileen Ford. [6:18]
Ingvild talks about when she was a teen, not feeling like she fit into the fashion world [10:06]
How did a science fiction convention play into Ingvild pivoting her creative outlet from movies to modeling? [11:05]
Ingvild tells us when she had her first artistic nude shoot. [13:10]
Among her many talents, she tells us about creating an erotic comic book. [13:40]
At the age of 38, she began her nude modeling work. [14:05]
How did Ingvild start exploring erotic art? [14:26]
We discuss why we keep our nude work separate from our families. [16:42]
Ingvild gives us a peek into her childhood diary. Can you guess who she wanted to be? [18:21]
Find out about her book collaboration, Polafornia, with Julie Loen and other projects. [19:50]
Ingvild talks about how fun it is to explore different sides of herself and to communicate real emotions. [22:04]
Unlike many, Ingvild is not interested in just taking pretty photos; she talks about confidence in doing more emotional and experimental modeling. [24:40]
Ingvild discusses how she maintains a level of artistry in her graphic work, being emotionally present, and her work with Gilles Berquet. [25:17]
She talks about her comfortability with nude work and how it allowed her to understand herself, explore more, and gave her a sense of confidence that she didn't possess as a teenager. [29:35]
I give a bit of my own back story and mental shift in accepting what photography I wanted to shoot. [31:06]
In exploring her erotic side she found her "playground," "I didn't think I had the courage to do these kinds of things until I started doing it." Ingvild talks about her shift to erotic expression. [32:46]
The beginning of her modeling work and how quickly it snowballed. [35:50]
The world of modeling for Ingvild includes: asylums, nude shoots in the snow, road trips ato America, and stalking a photographer in France. Her world is far from typical. [37:16]
She talks about the different aspects of what she loves in the world of modeling, including travel, and meeting like-minded people. [40:59]
To get an understanding of her passion for this work, she began turning down movie projects to facilitate her modeling pursuits. [42:35]
She talks about the culture of shame with sexuality, protesting that shame, and the process it has been in confidently owning her sexuality through her modeling work. [43:19]
Ingvild likes playing with the line in her erotic work, and some people misinterpret it. Find out here, why that doesn't bother her. [46:00]
Find out her response to the incredible photographer George Pitts (RIP) when he asks her about her moral take on porn. [47:50]
The difference between art and porn (hint: it's not the lighting!) [48:15]
"It's more important than ever to create art," Find out what demographic, surprisingly, responded positively to more explicit images in Ingvild's published book. [48:55]
Find out Ingvild's philosophy on life and how she would love to be a role model of it. [50:36]
My take on the importance of seeing sexuality in a more dimensional way, gaining a better understanding and confidence in it. [52:12]
The past ten years have been the most important in her life. Nothing limits her; she is more confident in who she is and the contributions she has as an artist. [53:19]
She discusses some of the mental difficulties she had to overcome in modeling over the years. [54:47]
Ingvild talks about her husband and the pride he has in her and her work, and the emotional support he has been, as not only her husband, but best friend. [58:09]
Ingvild talks about new artistic directions and possibilities, her travels to Moscow, and her miniatures. [1:01:32]
Find out how taxidermy and Beatrix Potter fueled the amazing and intricate artistry of Ingvild's dioramas. [1:03:03]
Everything with mice! Here we find out more about her interests in horror movies and mice, and how they influenced her diorama sets. [1:06:25]
Learn through her words, the artistry and skill she has developed with her dioramas, and the creative visions for them, which include a little mouse with a chess board on it's ass. [1:08:00]
What is it about horror films that comforts Ingvild? Find out here! [1:10:37]
Ingvild explores the dark themes of her diaromas which are set in the late 1800's, her homage to Frederic Fontenoy's photography, and her love of post mortem photographs. In her words, "I would have loved to see these [dioramas] when I was little, and love to see them as a grown up as well. " [1:11:47]
She talks about the future possibilities for her dioramas. [1:13:39]
The dioramas fulfill a lot for her in regards to self expression, and she sees the importance of finding different outlets to express different sides of oneself. [1:14:17]
She talks about the joy in the creative process and how she has a need to persist in it because it is her source of happiness. [1:15:04]
My reflections on life, and about responding to the mystery of it. [1:16:18]
Ingvild talks about her love for the unknown and finding something unknown in everything you create. [1:17:00]
She talks about wanting a rich life and how she sees that being attained. "I want to see how far I can take things, in directions I haven't gone before." "Everything you do is adding to you as a person, all of your experiences are making you a more full person." [1:18:00]
Ingvild talks about a bad experience with a photographer and relying on her intuition to avoid something potentially dangerous.[1:20:02]
Ingvild discusses aspects of her culture that have influenced her art and her connection to nature, and of course, other people's fascination with Vikings! [1:22:53]
We discuss nudity, sexuality, sex, and if nudity can exist without sex. [1:24:48]
I ask Ingvild if she ever had any issues feeling comfortable nude; she answers here. Also, I give a story of my wife and her nude games she played as a kid. 1:28:37]
Ingvild talks about some difficult topics from her youth and how she was able to get over the shame of nudity as an adult. [1:30:32]
Through years of struggle with eating disorders, Ingvild talks about what ultimately helped her move past them, and how. [1:32:14]
She talks about her struggles as a teen, how getting past it created a comfort in nudity, and finding her place it this world after a lot of loneliness. [1:34:28]
Ingvild talks about her restlessness in the movie business and how modeling was where she found peace. [1:36:25]
Find out here the books that have impacted Ingvild. [1:37:28]
Who are her favorite directors? (hint: both are named David) [1:39:58]
Last but not least, her favorite music. [1:40:10]
With final words Ingvild talks about being present, always being curious, loving animals, and being kind to others. [1:40:27]
Visit Ingvild at her IG's @ingvildeiring @ine_model [1:42:16]
Thank you Ingvild!
People Mentioned
Eileen Ford
Milo Manara
Guido Crepax
Julie Loen
Gilles Berquet
Eroticolia
Pixel Studio
Velvet Scars
Ed Ross
Mark Sink
Gary Breckheimer
George Pitts
Sergei Romanov
Beatrix Potter
Frederick Fontenoy
Ray Bradbury
John Irving
Peter Straub
Brett Eastin Ellis
John Steinbeck
David Lynch
David Cronenberg
Depeche Mode