Petra Collins is a Canadian artist, model, director and photographer, born in 1992. She rose to fame in the 2010’s for her female-gaze led work, combining femininity and dream-like photography. Her work can be characterised as provocative, with a documentary feel on feminism and the current climate for women. Her work aims to validate the female experience for women everywhere.
As quoted in Dazed100, Collins stated: “The selfie, especially, has revolutionised the way that we are able to represent ourselves, it makes it possible for people who have little representation to create images of their own, and because of social media we have platforms for them.”
The artist shares some similar values to my current project, exploring the experiences of people in the age of social media and how it has affected them. I am currently doing it through myself, therefor validating my female experience with myself as subject. I am aiming to explore the effects of social media on myself and others, also how photography has a place in that. I have currently been exploring insecurities founded by the beauty industry, which has thrived on social media platforms.
In this video, Collins takes part in StyleLikeU’s project around self-acceptance, where she undresses during an interview, for the project: True Style Is What’s Underneath: The Self-Acceptance Revolution. During the interview, she opens up about the shame around womanhood and how she aims to create the images that aren’t being made. Sharing focus on to menstrual blood and pubic hair and how we are made to feel like every inch of us is wrong to fuel the beauty industry with cash on their products to fit into society. “You can help take down society’s airbrushed perceptions of periods, body hair, and beauty by sharing Petra’s journey with your friends and loved ones.”
This video shares Collins’ work alongside her speaking about it. She discusses how her work is an extension of her own personal experience, but also a universal experience shared by others who are able to understand the work. She discusses how photography was accessible to her from the ages of 15 and how it allowed her to create work inspired by film and the artistic industry, exploring the experiences of women. From body hair, to puberty and sexualisation, she discusses the roles of social media in that and its positive and negative connotations to our lives.
Her projects such as ‘discharge’ allow an insight into the female experience without the expectations and restrictions of social media or society.
Petra’s work inspires me to continue on the journey I am currently on and exploring the feminine experience through my current project and the relationships we have with social media and society, also how the digital age reflects that. I find it important to look at the work of other artists to remain inspired. Some of Collins’ work gives me inspiration for where to take the next part of my project.
Emily Ryder 