BABE

Recently, my wonderful boyfriend bought me the book I was dying to have: BABE, by Petra Collins. Petra is my idol, my inspiration, one of the coolest chicks I've heard of. When I found out she had another book coming out I was after it. And when I saw that my other idol, Tavi Gevinson had written the foreword, I was craving it. Babe is Petra's curated compilation of work by young female artists. It captures the voices and visions of the girls who are shaping this generation of women. It exemplifies a 'contemporary girl power revolution' with kooky collages, and thought-provoking photography. It even includes some of Petra's deepest work, in my opinion. She takes young girl's accounts of being sexually abused, or put down based on their gender, and simply writes them in doodly handwriting...portraying the vulnerability and deep emotion in a girlish, hidden way. It amazes me how all the artists in the book can fuel their work with such heavy topics yet show them in the most intriguing, comforting ways. Although some of the photos are racey and perhaps too explicit for some, the book should not be sexualized, but rather admired for its freeness and acceptance. It portrays beauty in unconventional ways and that is amazing. We encourage everyone of you doofs to check it out! And take a look at more of Petra's work and Tavi's work for inspiration!