Fan obsession fuels new wave of dark art

The lines between fandom and fixation have blurred, and artists are turning to this unsettling territory with a fresh, cinematic eye. From bestselling novels to evocative film projects, a new wave of creators are exploring the darker side of devotion, interrogating the mechanics of obsession – and the potential for violence – with a precision that feels unnervingly timely.

Zhang and collins dive deep into the star machine

Jenny Tinghui Zhang's Superfan and Petra Collins’s forthcoming Star are at the forefront of this trend. But it’s Collins's project, particularly, that promises a visceral exploration of the phenomenon. Star, co-written with novelist Melissa Broder, follows the trajectories of two musicians—pop star Ashley and the teen idol group Siren8—as fan admiration slowly unravels into something far more sinister. In an exclusive conversation for Vogue, Zhang and Collins dissect the intricate ecosystem of fandom, examining how it shapes stardom and feeds on projection.

“The book is so stunning,” Zhang remarked, praising Collins's work, “It feels like such a true portrayal of what I perceive to be stardom and celebrity, but what I know to be fandom and the velocity of being a fan.” Collins, echoing the sentiment, explained that the project emerged from a desire to examine the constant surveillance inherent in modern celebrity Culture. “I’ve been looking at the subject of surveillance and surveilling others, and so much of that is in fan Culture and celebrity,” she noted, drawing on her 15 years of experience within the music industry.

Witnessing the unraveling: a photographer's perspective

Collins’s perspective is uniquely informed. For 16 years, she’s been behind the camera, documenting the meteoric rises and devastating falls of musical artists. “I’ve witnessed icons being born and icons being devoured,” she stated, a stark observation that underscores the precarious nature of fame. The book isn’t a period piece, but it resonates with the anxieties of the early 2000s, when the internet's influence began to warp the relationship between artists and their audiences.

“I remember being a young woman and being so frightened for these girls,” Collins confessed, alluding to the well-documented struggles of pop stars like Britney Spears. She highlighted the tendency for fans to project their own fantasies and feelings onto celebrities, a dynamic she’s observed firsthand. The result is a system, she argues, that breeds fear rather than art, and fails to adequately protect the individuals at its center.

The all-seeing eye: fan, creator, and subject

Collins’s own position as a model, actress, and public figure further complicates her exploration of fandom. “It gives me a lot of empathy,” she said, “I understand everyone’s point of view.” She describes the experience as “almost psychedelic,” allowing her to view the world from a “god-like perspective” – witnessing the madness of living within this hyper-visible reality from multiple angles.

Star deliberately eschews a traditional narrative anchor, instead offering a fragmented, multi-faceted perspective. “It’s a visual representation of the madness of living in that world as anybody,” Collins explained, emphasizing the book's exploration of surveillance, parasocial relationships, and the pervasive sense of being watched. The accompanying soundtrack, a collaborative effort with musicians, adds another layer of immersion, blurring the lines between reader and listener.

The book’s visual style, heavily influenced by Japanese horror, further amplifies the unsettling atmosphere. Collins acknowledged that horror has always been a significant influence on her work, reflecting a lifelong fascination with the dark side of girlhood and the anxieties of being perceived as a woman. “Anything that touches on what it’s like being a woman, or dealing with girlhood or womanhood—I’m just like, immediately, it is horror.”

Collins’s recent work has also focused on the impact of the internet, specifically the normalization of criticism and the erosion of boundaries between the public and private spheres. “You lose that threshold where there’s almost no fantasy,” she observed, “and that makes it feel real and fake at the same time.” The narrative culminates in a “wild, psychedelic space” where the lines between reality and perception completely dissolve. “It’s just in our minds,” she concluded, highlighting the fragility of the very constructs we build around celebrity and fandom.

Petra Collins’s Star isn’t just a story about obsession; it’s a cautionary tale about the systems we create and the price we pay for blurring the lines between adoration and control. The book’s release begs the question: are we truly seeing these stars, or are we merely projecting our own desires and fears onto them?