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The Art of Barbie

profile72908.jpgMinneapolis-based multi-crafter and artist Michelle Brusegaard created photos that make Barbie more human than her 11.5-inch height and infamous proportions suggest.

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Michelle sees Barbie “more as discarded object than revered plaything.” Now that the Bratz have dethroned the once-reigning doll, the series seems to hint at a gal contemplating an unknown next stage of life. Each is just $15.

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You feel something’s not right beyond her feet, in skirt or legwarmer

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There are many shots of her clothes, store-bought and this homemade gingham

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Admittedly not Barbie proper, this doll sofa suggests faded glamour-in-waiting

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Tags

artwork, affordable art, photography, doll, Barbie, Minneapolis, Mpls, Michelle Brusegaard

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Comments (11)

I love Barbie's. I believe that peach dress hanging from the line is from the Peaches N Cream Barbie. I loved that dress!!

posted by Nikita on 2008-07-29 11:47:52
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I totally had that Peaches and Cream Barbie!
These are hilariously wonderful. Thanks for the post!

posted by hessilou on 2008-07-29 11:53:09
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Peaches n Cream Barbie was my FIRST Barbie (of many). I saw that dress and it made me smile. Great post!

posted by BmoreKate on 2008-07-29 12:27:18
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I was thinking the exact same - Peaches n Cream Barbie! ...great now I have the commercial stuck in my head.

posted by valleyval on 2008-07-29 12:28:25
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I love that top photo! I'm guilty of still wearing Barbie logo clothes. I even made jewelry from Barbie's accessories to wear with my Barbie clothing.

Maybe I should start selling things like that :)

posted by iheartmini on 2008-07-29 12:30:57
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I bought the Peaches N Cream photo. I just had to! Brought WAY too many memories back not to!!

posted by Nikita on 2008-07-29 12:34:24
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Um, this might be a stupid comment, but I don't really get the picture with all the Barbie legs and then (I'm assuming) Ken feet on the other side. What is it suggesting?

posted by somuchbetter on 2008-07-29 13:08:03
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I did a much naughtier version of this for a college project, which was later published in the March 2008 issue of German Cosmo. Meh.

posted by samantha9484 on 2008-07-29 14:33:58
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The pictures shot from behind her head and of the legs seems rather creepily fetishistic from my perspective. It reminds me of a very old John Cleese bit I saw in a book (in a sequence of photos) where he grows uncomfortably enamored of his child's doll and does something embarrassing and disturbing to the doll.

posted by Orchid64 on 2008-07-29 20:17:24
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thanks to everyone for the comments! the "body shots" of the barbies were taken in 2005, when I was doing a series of paintings and photos that were sort of like choose your own adventure narratives. so the ken legs are just there create a dynamic situation in a still life, so it could be that ken's oppressive, if you' like, or it could just be that there was always only one ken doll in a sea of barbies and skippers....

posted by MichelleBrusegaard on 2008-07-29 23:51:02
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There is always only one ken doll. It's a weird thing. I always wanted more, but never got any.

I hate Bratz. They are the, "let's teach our kids to be sluts" dolls.

posted by Avinony on 2008-09-08 03:14:23
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