Moscow-native Ira Chernova is a powerhouse of contradictions. The engineer student-turned-model-turned-photographer is taking the fashion industry by storm with her unique aesthetic. Ira is “dark and romantic, edgy yet nostalgic, sensual and raw”—a true artist, in her own right. Currently, the beautiful + tattooed Ira is bouncing between New York, London and her hometown in Russia, working both behind and in front of the shutter.

Introduction by Camden Gaultney
Photography and interview by Lauren Engel

Tell us about your upbringing and how did it shape the person you are now? Did you fit in growing up?
I don’t really have many memories at all. I have a university degree as an engineer. I think I traveled out of my home country at during my second year of university and then I knew I’m in love with being the road and I can never “commit” life to office job (not that I ever wanted to). I traveled quite a lot on my own too, backpacking etc – before having a smart phone or any social networks – its very strong experience, I feel a bit homesick for that time – it was more effort and you felt more accomplished and full as a person. I still get restless sitting in one place for too long. Living in NYC is the first time for me to have an apartment lease and all those responsibilities. I still don’t really know myself though, yet I’m making progress in my own list of what makes me happy.

How do you want yourself to be perceived?
I’m honest in everything I do and want the same thing to be returned to me. Although I’m not eager to tell people how to see me – it comes as a personal thing anyways.

What would you tell teenagers of today if you could?
Don’t waste your life. Learn something, experience and knowledge is everything. You might not be successful yet by age of 30 but if you spend all your prior years partying – it’s no good. Instead of buying clothes, drinking nights away and any other useless shit – travel. It’s not expensive at all, if you lower your comfort expectations, yet it teaches you everything. Open your eyes on world around.

If you were born in another decade, which one would it be and why?
I’m happy with where I am. Sometimes, overusing modern technology depresses me a bit, but then hey – I wouldn’t have all of my closest people without it. I’m interested in the present, I’ve never had different epoch wishes, even as a kid.

You have an underlying sarcastic/humorous tone in your drawings–what meanings do you try to convey with them?
It depends. There are plenty of my drawing that are just single standing ideas, and then I have my romantic novel series, which all got born from me feeling feelings – work in progress. I never try to have a massive concept behind anything. Things should be more simple – if you have to write a long fucking annotation to

The grass clock you made is very intriguing–what inspired you?
I want to work with physical objects and was just playing in my head with concepts around things that interest me (aka nature). My friend and I were just driving somewhere and that idea came up. It was way more to that list, to have a full series of objects. I’ll get it done at some point.

“I’m honest in everything I do and want the same thing to be returned to me. “

Would you say you see the world in colour or black and white?
Colour. Definitely, colour. There’s too much beauty around to not notice that. Especially, flowers. How crazy is the variety of natural colours we get to see around us.

What is your perception about real love?
It’s friendship. Everything is friendship if you break it down to pieces. I think I generally start trusting only to people who I have in my life for few years at least – I feel settled then that they are there. And love comes from that connection over time too.

Explain how the title of your tumblr: it’s full speed or nothing, embodies your personality
The title is a line from early Metallica song “motorbreath”. It wasn’t an easy or fast process to get where I am right now (and I’m still not halfway close to where I wanna be) – I spent quite a few years traveling, without having a real home base, trying to find a way to organize papers to fully move abroad. It was hard mentally, many times I questioned if its even happening ever or i need to give up. That particular phrase (I have it as one of my tattoos too) always been a reminder to keep moving.