Hello Rea-dears,
Sorry for the long hiatus. Lots and lots has been happening lately and I have not been able to blob. (No typo) But I do have the energy/time/focus at the moment to acknowledge one of the ladies/people that's inspiring me right now: Petra Collins, artist, photographer, curator. Some of you may know her work from Rookie Mag, or from the recent Internet-outburst over her vagina t-shirts being sold at American Apparel. I think Petra's t-shirts are empowering--having your period is a real thing that no one actually talks about, really truly, as is female masturbation (the fact that I have to refer to it as female masturbation to make sure people know what I'm talking about is right there a "nuff said")--not "disgusting" or "too much" or "ew." You want to degrade us for our anatomy? Then stop being so gad-dam squeamish about the part of our bodies that you think make us inferior. What I really want to say is, of course, stop thinking we're not equals, but I've made that pretty obvious on many occasions.
Something I love about all of Petra's work is that she often seeks to capture women and girls' vulnerabilities, and thus our strengths. Hiding truth and reality, whether they are accepted or expected or anything except what they are, does not make anyone strong--it makes them weaker for not being able to stand head-to-head with the inevitabilities of the world. You can shake in your boots and melt to the ground or burst at the seams, but if you reveal yourself, You, to the Universe, in whatever way that may be, you'll always be strong. I know this all seems out of place and irrelevant, but it's integral to understanding and appreciating the starkness, rawness, and ultimately the impact of Petra's photographs.
Here are some photos I screen-shotted from Petra's website that I think exemplify what I was trying to explain above.
[All photos by Petra Collins.]
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Bra strap/unhooked bra
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Self-scrutiny
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Silent tears
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Anger/gun/pink
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: "Make good decisions!"
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Pubic hair
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Armpit hair
What I noticed/why I chose this photo: Menstruation + braless-ness
I'll be back with some more original content soon but just hold ya horses.
~News update~ Also I met a cute puppy the other day and he was very soft.
PS I suggest reading this interview Petra did with Vice, because she explains and articulates herself well.
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