The connections between and among women in the latest number of 'The September Issues' An interview with founder, photographer and artist Mary Rozzi
What does it mean to be a woman today? And how problematic, complicated and fascinating is it? Mary Rozzi, photographer, artist, creative mind, tries to answer this question through her acclaimed biannual publication The September Issues, which aims at "celebrating the diversity and power of global feminism". A few days ago the Revisionism Issue was published, which features moreover a Gucci beauty special starring women over 60, and we had the chance to sit down and have a chat with Mary Rozzi herself.
This number of The September Issues mentions Adrienne Rich’s quote which states: The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet.
Mary Rozzi hits me by saying: Deciding to start my own magazine means that I had to give up a lot of other things that I was doing which gave me a stable income, however, I never felt so excited by running The September Issues, I do more with less, if I have to work from 6am till midnight 7 days a week I’m gonna do it with as much positivity as I can, because this to me means I can make an impact on other women’s lives and this gives me the fuel I need to keep going on. Culture, positivity, and change.
#10 Have you had feedback from people you don’t know?
I have received so many, I just can’t keep up with replying. You can feel the emotional component of the magazine, because it’s made by women it’s emotional, and you don’t feel manipulated, I wanna make sure I hear their voices, I ask a lot of artists to write their own stories, which can be challenging. Even though they are not writers, it’s way easier to get depth and personality come through.
#11 Do young kids need mentors? If you wanted to inspire younger generations what would you say to them when they think they need loads of money to start their own project when in reality it may not be true?
Young people think they know everything, and really they know nothing at all. I think the best thing they can do is to watch, read, learn, and keep learning. I directed massive productions of 100 people, and you never stop learning. I appreciate their confidence, I have a lot of concern, I don’t know how this is gonna unfold. It’s very easy to hide behind a text, you have to be very brave to admit that you made a mistake, that you don’t know something. They break up in a thousand pieces, if you made a mistake you can learn and move forward. If I had that confidence when I was 20, it would have taken me 20 years to get to this point making my own magazine, so I feel I can learn a lot from them, too.
