Petra Collins, photographer who ‘grew up on Facebook’, on how the internet offers opportunities for new artists
Young Canadian artist enjoys the connection with her audience that social media gives her, and says working with fashion brands gives her a platform to pursue her art
Canadian photographer and artist Petra Collins, 24, has collaborated with fashion brands including Gucci and Stella McCartney and cultural institutions such as The Tate Modern art gallery in London and New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). She was named one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 in art and style for 2017.
You began your career in photography at 15 years old – what drew you to the art world?
I had a lot of trouble with reading and writing when I was young. Art saved me because it was the only way I could express myself and communicate with the world. I tried different outlets – I wanted to be a dancer but hurt my knee, so I couldn’t continue. I was interested in film and photography, as it was the easiest and fastest way to get a story told. My generation is all digital, and I feel that film is important because it’s so tactile. There’s this process you have to go through to create it, which is why I gravitated towards it.
Saying that, you were discovered by many people through Instagram. How has the digital world helped propel your career?
For a long time there wasn’t a space for me or for women or the marginalised to express themselves. Everything was dominated by white men. The internet has been so important for my peer group to create these spaces and platforms where such voices were never heard before. The internet has given us opportunities. Social media is a part of me so I can directly connect to my audience, speak to them and get constructive criticism. I grew up on Facebook, it’s a different realm I live in. For some people this is inauthentic, but for me it’s all I know.