Jul 242013
 

FAt Girl Inside cover

Rare Bird Books is pleased to announce the publication of Fat Girl, photographer Carlos Batts’ latest fine art book, available at bookstores nationwide and on Amazon.com. Fat Girl represents twelve years worth of Batts’ photographs of his wife and muse, famed plus-size model and adult film star April Flores. Miss Rosen wrote the foreword to Fat Girl, and Flores contributes the introduction and several personal essays. The book, Batts’ fourth published collection, features photographs of Flores from the intimate and informal to the highly stylized and outrageous, including rare, never-before-seen images like the highly mythologized early blonde Polaroids. Batts presents his subject as both virtuous and vulgar, at once romantic and ravenous, with images that challenge society’s assumptions about beauty, desirability, identity, performance, and sexual subjectivity. “I knew that I wanted to redefine and change the meaning of the term “Fat Girl.” To me, fat would no longer be the negative word had been and was to so many others. I wanted to take away the shame, and make those words have a positive, empowering connotation.,” writes Flores.

Together, Batts and Flores have created a visual text that beautifully explores some of the most complex cultural issues, including racial identity, beauty aesthetics, and body politics. Their collaboration also reflects the different communities that Batts and Flores belong to and draw inspiration from, including various underground art scenes, the world of independent filmmaking, West Coast queer communities, and the feminist porn movement. Fat Girl provides a glimpse into a world where sex, love, and art collide.

Batts and Flores will celebrate the release of Fat Girl with two events on July 27 in Los Angeles. There will be a discussion about the book and a book signing from 3:00-6:00 pm at the Ahmanson Auditorium at MOCA Grand Avenue at 250 Grand Avenue. An exhibit of photographs from Fat Girl and reception will take place from 7:00-11:00 pm at Coagula Curatorial, 977 Chung King Road. The event will feature a nail bar by Cha Cha Covers, Cupcakes by Little Sweeties, and a spanking station sponsored by The Pleasure Chest.


FAT GIRL Talk/Q&A & Book Signing
M.O.C.A. Grand Auditorium & Book Store
Carlos Batts & April Flores will talk about there careers working together and their new book
Fat Girl.

Saturday, July 27, 3pm-6pm

Fat Girl Book Exhibit
Gallery: Coagula Curatorial
Date: Saturday, July 27th
Time: 7pm-11pm
Location: 977 Chung King Road, Los Angeles CA 90012

 

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