Artist Feature: Rosella Joseph
I have had the immense pleasure of interviewing Rosella Joseph, a photographer originally from Port Au Prince Haiti. The stories and creative mediums must reflect on how diverse the world is. Taking inspiration from diverse storytelling today is all about the original film work by Rosella. Her view of the world demonstrates the multidimensional beauty of Black people. Her art is one of the few visually impactful experiences that leave a lasting impression on me. So today, I invite you to see behind the lens and meet the artist.
“WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP YOU? DESCRIBE THE PATH OF WHAT LED YOU TO WHO ARE TODAY.”
Rosella was born in Port Au Prince, Haiti, and came to the U.S when she was 4. Growing up, she was always artistic. She loved music and even learned how to play the violin and piano in elementary and middle school. However, it was in college, where she found her real passion for photography and film making.
“WHAT IS AN EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE THAT GAVE YOU PERSPECTIVE?”
One of the experiences that gave Rosella perspective was her suicide attempt when she was 19. At that time, she was admitted into a mental health facility. After she was released, she decided that life was too short to be unhappy and decided to figure out what she wanted to do with my life. She knew that she wanted to be an artist and to tell compelling stories, but she felt that society looks down on creatives. In the same space, society tended to see creative, not as real careers. This pattern of thought led to Rosella stifling herself a lot. It took time, but after that life-changing experience, Rosella decided to no longer care about what people thought. Rosella was set in herself and knew that she was a creative and not meant to be stuck in a cubicle 24/7. More importantly, Rosella knew that she would acquire success in anything she puts her mind to.
“WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP YOU? DESCRIBE THE PATH OF WHAT LED YOU TO WHO ARE TODAY.”
Rosella was born in Port Au Prince, Haiti, and came to the U.S when she was 4. Growing up, she was always artistic. She loved music and even learned how to play the violin and piano in elementary and middle school. However, it was in college, where she found her real passion for photography and film making.
“WHAT IS AN EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE THAT GAVE YOU PERSPECTIVE?”
One of the experiences that gave Rosella perspective was her suicide attempt when she was 19. At that time, she was admitted into a mental health facility. After she was released, she decided that life was too short to be unhappy and decided to figure out what she wanted to do with my life. She knew that she wanted to be an artist and to tell compelling stories, but she felt that society looks down on creatives. In the same space, society tended to see creative, not as real careers. This pattern of thought led to Rosella stifling herself a lot. It took time, but after that life-changing experience, Rosella decided to no longer care about what people thought. Rosella was set in herself and knew that she was a creative and not meant to be stuck in a cubicle 24/7. More importantly, Rosella knew that she would acquire success in anything she puts her mind to.
“WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE?”
Rosella is inspired by her life experiences and the need to show positive images of people that look like her. In many ways, she feels that media paints Black people in such a negative way that it does a lot of long-lasting harm. As an artist, she thinks that she and other Black creatives give the Black community a voice. Inspired by that need, she has made sharing the depth of diverse voices in media her lifelong passion knowing that if she made a difference in the world by helping a young Black child pursue their creative dreams, then shes has done it. She wishes to be a part of a society that doesn’t put down creative dreams from Black youth.
“HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR AESTHETIC AS AN ARTIST?”
Rosella defines her aesthetic as very colorful and multidimensional.
“WHO CHANGED YOUR LIFE IN A FUNDAMENTAL WAY, AND WHY?”
A person who has fundamentally changed Rosella’s life would be her mother. She has always been Rosella’s number one supporter. Rosella says, “Even if she doesn’t understand exactly what I’m doing, she’s never pressured me to be something I wasn’t.” She always just wanted Rosella to find something that made her happy. As a result, Rosella’s mother never made her feel embarrassed about her profession. Instead, she is always encouraging Rosella by letting her know that she believes in Rosella.
“WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE WORLD?”
Rosella wants to leave beautiful photography and films that encourage people to feel differently, connect, and change their perspective.
WHAT IT’S LIKE WORKING WITH ROSELLA:
Rosella has inspired Black creatives like me of all ages. Today we get to showcase her work and newest collection of photography available for purchase! This book is a compilation of her favorite photos that she has taken within the last few years. When asked about this latest collection, Rosella says, “ I feel these photos best represent me as an artist, and it’s inspired by my love for science fiction and wanting to show black women in multifaceted ways.” Her attitude and passion for her work is something to invest in, and I can’t wait till I have the honor of being photographed by Rosella.
