Kali Barbie? We’re Not Sure How We Feel About This

Yes, it’s really Barbie Kali, severed head and all. We’re not sure how we feel about this but we can’t take our eyes off of it. Kali Barbie isn’t the latest addition to Mattel’s toy store offerings. It’s actually part of a 33 Barbie and Ken doll art installation by Argentinian artists Pool Paolini and Marianela Perelli.

Entitled “Barbie, the Plastic Religion” the show, which will be on display in Buenos Aires starting October 11th, is causing some controversy because not only is Kali been morphed into Barbie-fication, other religious figures from Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam will also be represented in all their plastic glory. The Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ and the Difunta Correa all get their chance to shine in doll form.

The artists explain their idea: “If there’s a Barbie doctor, a teacher and a police officer, why shouldn’t there be a Virgin of Luján Barbie?”

Not everyone is pleased. Via Swide.com:

Since then the Barbie Difunta Correa has especially stirred up a controversy in San Juan, Argentina, where a life-size statue of the sacred figure is homed: “This is so out of place, this is a figure of faith which we care for very much and it is why we patented her image and name years ago” a local man told the media.
The artists told BBC Mundo that it wasn’t their intention to disrespect any beliefs and that they have “nothing against religion”.

For some reason we find this really intriguing. Flipping things on their heads, so to speak, (and not just because we’re yogis) has always been fascinating, especially in art, making us think about things differently. It also feels so very wrong, which we think is kind of the point.

What do you think about the idea and Barbie Kali?

For those unfamiliar, Kali is the Hindu goddess of death, time, and change.