How Prim ‘N Poppin’ is providing beauty and activism

It’s summer 2019.donald trump I’m the president. The Black Lives Matter movement, a movement protesting the killings and violence against black people in the United States, is active but has waned. The fallout from the #MeToo movement, a public movement against sexual assault, continues to linger. Equal representation in the media is a hot topic.

I’m a beautiful photographer who lives in a bustling city.new york city. I will be meeting with makeup artist Brenna Drury, who DMed me on Instagram. We hit it off right away. We are both passionate about current issues in society and politics and have lively conversations about our contributions to culture.DEI Through my work as a beauty professional.

While I’ve been frustrated in my career by not being able to move the diversity needle as much as I would like on set, I have found the power to cast and collaborate inclusively and broadly on personal projects. I feel completely given. Brenna and I agree. She used a mood board to pitch her ideas to me and I saw one that featured a retro aesthetic. I immediately do a brain scan to come up with ideas for the shoot. It’s about recreating vintage beauty ads that never came to fruition.

This conversation about the history of exclusivity in beauty advertising sparked the idea for our joint projectPrim & Poppina series that comprehensively reimagines vintage 1970s beauty advertising.

This series posits what society would be like today if equal representation existed in beauty advertising 50 years ago.

Julia Comita + Brenna Drury

By September 2019, I had amassed an extensive collection of vintage beauty ads from brands like Revlon, Avon, and Maybelline as inspiration. We are excited to have a core team of female artists, as well as models representing a variety of sexual and gender identities, sizes, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Our models candidly share with us about the influence of beauty advertising during their formative years. Having grown up in different places and with different cultural influences, we each have our own version of what beauty means to us.

Just by listening to their stories, Brenna and I understood the importance of projects like ours as a vehicle for activism. We want to see what kinds of conversations emerge through our interactions with others. Prime Poppin.

And then 2020 comes.

A global pandemic is occurring. race, gender, LGBTQ+ Inequality rapidly gains public attention and Americans votejoe biden It abruptly cut short Mr. Trump’s potential second term as president. prim and poppin After such an important event, you feel small. Still, when we launch in early 2021, we will have the full support of media outlets looking to spread the message of true inclusion. The positive feedback this project receives shows that equal representation of queer, trans, Asian, Black and brown, and body positive communities is important to us during this turbulent time we are collectively experiencing as a nation. I feel like this proves that it’s just as important as the other things. The wheels of slow progress are moving, moving us closer to the loving and inclusive society we all want to be a part of.

Fast forward a few years and instead of gaining power,DEI is dead. The images that once graced us on runways and on magazine covers are quietly disappearing. There is no fuss or public outcry. Trans models are having a hard time booking work. Models with disabilities have a hard time booking work. Curved models are no longer on the catwalks. We heard from the models: look No more trendThat is, their identity is no longer profitable.

Julia Comita + Brenna Drury

At the same time, we are monitoring our own countrylean towards conservatismrolling back protections for trans communities, queer communities, and women. Again, making art as an act of revolution may seem trivial. But that’s not the case. That’s radical. Change begins not only at the level of big government, but also at the individual level. Change begins through conversations between two people and at the community level, where many people come together to support each other and stimulate new ideas.

So once again, Brenna, I, and our amazing team set out to expand. Prim & Poppin To keep the spotlight on the public conversation around equality and visibility. The questions for this project are different. What would happen to society if diversity and expression in beauty were taken for granted?

andPresident Trump’s new term is approachingBrenna and I feel it’s more urgent than ever to continue having conversations about inclusivity and equality with our industry and creators. Advertising generally reflects culture; shape culture. As an industry at the corporate and individual level, we do not have the benefit of the vast bureaucracy required to bring about change in big government. This means our work can quickly and widely send out statements that contradict the messages governments want people to believe are accurate. Because we can literally define our standards of beauty, we have the power to de-other a community that is often reduced to what it is. We ensure that talent and employees of all backgrounds receive fair pay for their work, regardless of gender, race, age or ability.

We can create our own reality, the truth we want to see in the world, both on camera and off, and we hope that one day it will extend to the level of law.

Prime Poppin It remains our playful way of tackling serious subject matter. Art can be used as a powerful tool for positivity, creating space for challenging conversations and illumination. Purim We can continue to encourage change.

Julia Comita I’m a photographer, director, and writer living in New York City. Throughout her more than 10-year career, Julia has used her own and other talented people’s creative skills in the photo/video industry to facilitate numerous social awareness campaigns and raise awareness from historically marginalized communities. platform to educate the public, spark uncomfortable conversations, and inspire empathy. She is currently working on her first feature-length documentary film while pursuing a master’s degree in media studies at Pratt Institute.