The Toronto-based artist Petra Collins managed to do a lot in her professional life. As a photographer, Collins worked with celebrities like Bella Hadid or Kim Kardashian and shot campaigns for Adidas, Levi’s, Calvin Klein, or Gucci. Actually, the current work for the latter brand is the one that draws our attention. To promote Gucci’s 2017 Spring/Summer eyewear collection, the Canadian artist was inspired from her own childhood memories and created a film named “A Hungarian Dream.”
Some may think the luxurious fashion brand has nothing to do with rural places, however, based on her memories of Hungary, Collins manages to create a remarkable connection between these two antithetical things. The rustic Hungarian lands are the backdrop of a beautiful story, the artist bringing in the foreground and highlighting the exquisite aesthetics of the chic Gucci glasses.
Fueled by her youthful memories, Collins conceives a new universe as the autobiographical video focuses on two kids (who are actually the artist’s cousins) watching TV. But when they notice their grandmother falling asleep in front of the TV, they take her oversized sparkly glasses, which once worn, become a ticket to a fantastic journey.
The eyeglasses are the key to a whimsical world, where the kids take a walk through the wonderful countryside landscapes before they enter a traditional thermal bathhouse, hosting an atypical party whose guests are some apathetic models and some old women singing and dancing to rock ‘n’ roll rhythms. All models — and even the statue — wear Gucci’s new eyewear and “Hollywood Forever” sunglasses among those styles, coloring the party’s spirit.
The photographer, who also previously worked with Gucci, said this story was inspired by a personal experience: “Budapest is my true home. It is where I really grew up and it has not changed. I shot my cousins last summer for “A Magazine” curated by Alessandro and was surprised at the photos I got.”
Collins noticed the kids were charming in front of the camera, so she wanted to make a movie with them: “My two cousins – Palko and Rosa – really inspired me. The way they acted with me and my camera was so special and intimate that I needed to capture more. […] My grandma is also in the film!” she adds.
By the age of 24, Collins is considered by Blouin Artinfo as one of Canada’s top photographers under the age of 30. Her amazing work is featured in renowned magazines like Vogue, Elle, or L’Officiel, to name a few.
Credits:
Client: Gucci
Music: Eyes without a face