Janice A ‘Madevo’ at Metart by Alex Sironi

Janice A ‘Madevo‘ by Alex Sironi

Janice A started her Met Art career with a bang. The day her very first set appeared on the site she shot straight to the top of the Top Models list — an exceedingly rare and difficult accomplishment. I was every bit as impressed as the Met Art membership at large, and discussed her beauty and skill at some length. And Janice A wasn’t a “one hit wonder” or a flash in the pan, either — she’s remained in the uppermost echelon, and is sitting in the eighth position as I write.

Even though no two Top Models look alike, we can certainly agree that they are all beautiful in their unique, individual ways — and Janice A is absolutely beautiful. And she’s the perfect illustration of a critically important fact: the best, most popular Met Art models aren’t simply beautiful, they’re also highly skilled and talented. Any pretty girl can sit and have her picture taken. But the best Met Art models are working when they pose, they take an active role in the creation of the art, they bring skills and experience to the act of modeling that elevates them above the rest. And Janice A is a an exceptionally skilled and versatile model.

Let me offer two examples of this skill and versatility. In #005, tugging at the hem of her jumper with her right hand and raising it with her left, she’s smiling brightly and naturally — a beautiful young girl enjoying the moment. In #056, totally nude, she is fully engaged in a highly stylized, formal pose. Her body is set, every body part is positioned with precision, from a toe barely touching the floor, a forearm resting on a thigh, torso reclining, neck and head erect, her face a carefully composed mask — this image could only be the result of rigorous, highly technical experience and experimentation. Oh, you may find yourself focusing on the pretty face, or any one of her many fine physical features. But when you pull back and look at so many of the images in “Madevo” you’ll realize that Janice A is using her entire body to create these inventive and eye-pleasing photos.

I don’t think it’s an accident that Alex Sironi has placed Janice in a room with a classical Greek sculpture behind her and an oil painting on the wall. Both items have meaning here: Janice’s posing can have formal, sculptural elegance (see #099), and she covers the gamut between realism and impressionism. “Madevo” proves that Janice A isn’t simply a beautiful girl, she’s an expert in the art of modeling. Brava!