Great success is coming in the new film by Greta Gerwig. When is the premiere? Although the production will be released in cinemas all over Poland on July 21, 2023, it has been attracting great interest of impatient viewers of all ages for weeks. What is the doll phenomenon?
Barbie breaks stereotypes. What are the “unknown faces” of the world’s most popular doll?
The originator of the iconic doll, which won the hearts of children around the world in the late 1950s, was Ruth Handler, the owner of the well-known Mattel company, who named her after her daughter, Barbara. The history of its creation and transformations is presented in the exhibition “Unknown Faces”, which opened at the beginning of March 2023 at the Museum of Applied Arts in the Royal Castle in Poznań. It also aims to demonstrate how women and their role in society have been perceived over the decades. According to the curator of the exhibition, Aleksandra Podżorska, stereotypical beliefs about Barbie, which were born in the late 1980s, were perpetuated, while the doll from the very beginning was the embodiment of a strong and independent woman, as evidenced by the series dedicated to those who in some way contributed to humanity, the development of culture or science. “Many of us don’t know her true story. We have an idea and I wanted this exhibition to confront us with our own stereotype about the Barbie doll –
Barbie proves that women can do anything. What exhibits are on display?
was established at an exceptional moment and was a complete novelty on the market. Previously, the only dolls that parents could buy for their daughters were those modeled after newborns. It was an obvious procedure, the aim of which was to prepare little girls for the role of mother, which, as it was claimed at the time, is a vocation. Meanwhile, Barbie introduced a real revolution, because she proved that a woman does not have to take care of the house only, and in fact does not have to do it at all. He can devote himself to education and gaining experience, play sports, take part in competitions or plebiscites. She promoted the idea that a woman has the right to perform almost any profession in the world, and even fly into space, as did Samantha Cristoforetti, an Italian astronaut who took her likeness to the International Space Station.
Reputed to be a stereotypical beauty, Barbies are not the only dolls on display at the exhibition. A large part of the exhibits is modeled on people who have suffered through life, e.g. undergoing chemotherapy, having prostheses or moving in a wheelchair. Barbie does not discriminate against anyone, and even encourages the acceptance of differences. The intention of the creators was laudable, because its goal was that children would not feel lonely with what they experience and what happens to them. – This shows children who are going through the same thing that they are not alone – argues Aleksandra Podżorska. The exhibition is open to visitors until the end of July 2023.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
