Art

How the Hyperfeminine Aesthetics of “Barbie” Draw on Contemporary Art

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2023

Love her or hate her, it’s hard to overstate Barbie’s cultural influence. A childhood favorite for generations, each iteration of the bosomy, blue-eyed, blonde-haired doll is a reflection of its times, often responding to critiques of her fictional personality.

Though her initial appearance was inspired by the German Lilli doll, the character has lived numerous lives since her debut. In one, she was a housewife of disproportionate measurements; in another, she wore a lab coat and the title “Dr.” In other iterations she drove around Malibu in a pink convertible, bought a multi-story dreamhouse, and along the way, gathered friends, a Ken, and a younger sister. All that backstory comes to life in Greta Gerwig’s new film, which embraces the original intention of the doll while also taking aim at critics decrying her anti-feminist message. But how does Gerwig’s unique cinematic aesthetic draw on the artistic and cultural mood of our times?

Without giving away the plot, let’s just say there’s an aura of existential breakdown that matches 2023’s chaotic vibes. The movie seems to evoke the Pop Surrealist worlds that artist Mark Ryden created for his cooperation with Barbie manufacturer Mattel, such as his insect-inspired Barbie Bee (2022). Another doll, known as Pink Pop Barbie Doll (2022), reveals a bizarre new look inspired by the Candy Land game and comes replete with a googly-eyed pet yak. Ryden has also created a line of lithographs that feature a 2D version of the doll en scene, at the center of an ornately decorated town, her pink-hued hair twisted into a beehive.

Ryden’s artworks capture the juxtaposition also present in the Gerwig movie: The doll’s appearance hasn’t changed, but the kitschy atmosphere in which she resides always shifts to accommodate contemporary mood.

Ryden isn’t the only artist to incorporate Barbie into his works. Beau Dunn produces limited edition C-prints featuring variations on the plastic princess in front of pastel backgrounds, her side-eye belying the sophistication of faux pearl earrings and perfect coiffure. The portrait-like prints capture the changes made to Barbie’s style over time—her ruby red lips and thin eyebrows giving way to pearly whites rimmed in pink lip gloss to match the fashions of the decades in which each doll was created. The resulting series not only reflects beauty trends, it foregrounds a broader conversation about the role that Barbie has had in visualizing “the perfect woman.”

In response, artists have used this same language to push back: Catrine Val’s series “FEMINIST” satirizes fashion photography by featuring Barbie-like models in absurdist scenarios, such as FEMINIST Olga (2012), a model in a fedora and stilettos, pictured pushing back a semi-truck.

But the influence of Barbie goes far beyond the artworks she herself appears in. Her influence on art is often felt in critiques of materialist culture more broadly—as in Laurie Simmons’s series anthropomorphizing objects of domesticity, where dolls’ legs turn aspirational middle-class symbols into props for her photographs. Barbie’s brightly hued, idealized version of a domestic, have-it-all lifestyle is often used as shorthand for critiques of consumerist culture: the sports car as a signifier of Barbie’s carefree California lifestyle, or the stiletto heels she adorns portrayed as a trap, as in the work of Tyler Shields’s Handcuff High Heel (2022).

That endless quest for perfection is at the heart of consumer culture, and has inspired works from artists like Sylvie Fleury, whose Bye Bye Dark Circles (Nude) (2023) consists of a fabricated, oversized makeup compact in pastel pink. Fleury frequently critiques capitalist modern ideas of femininity through mundane objects, as seen in her “Chanel Yeti Boots” print series (2019), featuring lithographs of furry boots on denim. A Pop gesture to the transparent superficiality of consumer culture, the series replicates the outline of these unremarkable objects to reflect on the recycling of fashion and our endless desire for material goods.

Color, too, can draw a connection between artists and the doll, whose characteristic shade is a symbol of hyperfemininity, her world (especially as portrayed by Gerwig) a fuschia fever dream that feels like it should be trademarked. Advertisements for the film played on this reputation by printing a whole billboard with the famous shade, with no other text beyond the film’s release date.

Artists have found inspiration in immersing viewers in this powerful color—from light artist James Turrell, who has used the shade in his installations, as well as a brilliant woodcut in his “From Aten Reign” series that allows viewers to get lost in all shades of pink, to Sadie Barnette’s glittery, high-shine sculptures and photographs that heavily draw on the shade. Meanwhile, for her work Skin Pool (Oromom) (2019), Swiss artist Pamela Rosenkranz filled an entire swimming pool at the Okayama Art Summit with silicon tinted a pale, caucasian skin–inspired hue.

Yet despite rumors of a pink paint shortage due to the set design, Gerwig’s movie goes beyond color in creating its unique aesthetic. In an interview with Architectural Digest, the director, along with production designers Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Kate Spencer, said that their inspiration for the movie’s dreamhouse came from the mid-century Palm Springs aesthetic, in particular the famous Kaufmann House, as photographed by Slim Aarons. With the film’s focus on the turquoise pool waters, the team also appears to draw connections with the works of David Hockney, though Gerwig herself said she found inspiration in the soft domestic pastels of Wayne Thiebaud’s pie paintings.

It’s kitschy, this eclectic mix of domesticity and glamour that Barbie embodies. Perhaps that’s why even today, nearly 70 years after the initial release of the Barbie doll, her image is impossible to ignore when interpreting the performance of femininity in artists’ works. We sense her in the background of Martine Gutierrez’s Suits (2014), which scrutinizes the demands on women’s bodies, by placing the transgender artist’s own body in a lineup of mannequins turned away from the camera. The futuristically domestic geometries and pastel pink of Tai Shani’s Turner Prize–nominated exhibition “DC: Semiramis” (2019) also gesture to her outsized impact. Even Jeff Koons’s mammoth Seated Ballerina, installed outside the Rockefeller Center in 2017, seems to project the energy of this famous doll, its blonde ponytail and neat features creating warped reflections, a metaphor for the viewer’s own ideas of femininity.

Jeff Koons, Seated Ballerina, 2017. Photo by Tom Powell. Courtesy of Art Production Fund.

While viewing contemporary art through the Barbie lens can uncover thematic similarities, intentional or not, there’s little doubt that the plastic doll made famous for its unique moving parts has inspired generations of artists. Similarly, Gerwig’s movie will open the door for a further examination of Barbie’s greater meaning and the toy’s relationship to American culture in the 21st century.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

3 days ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

4 weeks ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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