In reaction to the the commercials dumped on them, the beauty standards forcing them to doubt themselves, and the gender stereotypes attempting put them in a box, a group of young creatives came together to form Recens Paper. From Kickstarter pledges to global stockists, young voices are making themselves heard, it’s time to pay attention to Generation Z. Here, its 15-year-old founder Elise By Olsen issues her call-to-arms to join the movement and shares her vision of tomorrow…
“Our society, but especially the young generation, is surrounded by a toxic idea of perfectionism. We evaluate ourselves, wondering if we are good enough. We refuse to cut our hear in fear of how people perceive us. It is said that we are affected by an identity crisis.
Recens is not just a magazine; it is a movement and a way of tackling the decline of today’s society. We riot against fake ideals, gender and race stereotypes, beauty standards and homogenising commercialism. Our issues are fucking honest, they accept failure and differences through exploring, challenging and experimenting.
Magazines these days are so beautiful, but they have no soul nor identity of their own – just like the stereotypical teenager of our times. Recens Paper urges to explore and to challenge. The cover is up-side-down; it symbolises youth and our attitude to the consume based publications that are established. The colours and layout reflect our playfulness and riot against the “serious” minimalism.
In this digital age, it is important to make (especially) the youth appreciate the physical objects, the present. To feel, study, smell. A print magazine is collectable, stackable and storable. They document our time.
As a creative youth it is hard getting into the fashion industry. Recens aims to showcase these. The ones who got declined because of their age and “lack of experience”. We are the platform presenting other like-minded and the business their work. Creative youth seek each other. Instead of these isolating themselves in their bedrooms, we gather them. And Recens is their overall voice. They are all very different, but one thing they have in common; they have the drive, ambition and belief in changing. That is unique with the great, young generation of photographers, artists, stylists, writers, musicians.
Recens raises a whole generation; provokes and accepts differences. Recens do not showcase icons; we create them.”
Please submit your work and take part in our magazine, movement and era at recenspaper.com.
Recens will be stocked at Artwords / Soho / Tate Modern – among many other shops – from next week in London.
Credits
Text Steve Salter and Elise By Olsen
Photography Erik Andre Nes
Stills courtesy of Recens Paper