Kali Barbie Gets an Early Death – Controversial Art Exhibit Cancelled Due to Threats

Sadly, Kali Barbie will not be seeing the light of day, or exhibit hall. Remember? The blue plastic doll fashioned as Kali, the Hindu goddess of death and destruction, including a severed head, which we were all a little unsure about? It’s part of the “Barbie, the Plastic Religion” series by Argentinian artists Pool Paolini and Marianela Perelli which was set to open this month. But after receiving death threats, the 33-piece collection featuring Barbie as such precious religious figures as the Virgin Mary, Buddha, Jesus Christ and the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico is a no go. Perhaps it is Kali’s revenge.

A notice on the gallery’s website reads:

“Given repeated anonymous threats concerning the event, the artists decided not to exhibit his work, fearing for the physical safety of visitors.”

Art or not, these dolls have been causing quite a controversy, which was pretty much to be expected since they represent figures from world religions Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism (we heard Islam, too, but no Muslim prophet Muhammad was not included).

Rajan Zed, Hindu Statesman and president of the Universal Society of Hinduism in America, was none too pleased: “Hindus welcome the art world to immerse in Hinduism but taking it seriously and respectfully and not for refashioning Hinduism concepts and symbols for personal agendas. Barbie-fication of Kali is simply improper, wrong and out of place,” he said.

Ha. The Barbie-fication of a lot of things is improper, wrong and out of place. Someone forgot to tell that to Target before they put the Yoga Teacher Barbie on their shelves.

[Via Beautiful Decay]

——

Earlier…

• Kali Barbie? We’re Not Sure How We Feel About This
• Urban Outfitters Pulls Ganesh Socks After Offending Hindus