What to expect on Children's Day
The Barbie exhibition showcases a collection of namesake dolls in various dresses. / Courtesy of Mattel
Barbie dolls attract parents, girls as memorable event
By Kim Jae-heun
Parents might wonder where to take their kids on Children’s Day today.
Among several options, “Barbie: The ICON” exhibition is perhaps one of the most attractive choices to make unforgettable memories. The exhibition showcases 200 Barbie doll art pieces.
The collection celebrates the toy’s 58th anniversary -- exhibiting mostly limited editions with less than 4,000 pieces produced around the world. The most desirable Barbie is displayed in the very first chapter of the show where the oldest Barbie in the world greets children.
Since it was sold to the world’s No.5 Barbie Doll collector at an auction for $27,450 in 2006, it has barely made any public appearances. It is the first time the doll is exhibited in Korea -- together with many other toys displayed at Lotte Avenuel Art Hall in Jamsil, Seoul.
The exhibition consists of five chapters and visitors can learn the history of Barbie dolls and the range of doll variations in fashion and “jobs.”
One of the main sections in the show is fashion, displaying Barbie dolls with concepts from esteemed fashion designers and celebrities. Chanel’s creative director Karl Largerfeld’s Barbie set a new record, selling out worldwide within 10 minutes after it was revealed. Other fashion Barbie dolls wear Christian Dior’s “New Look” dress and Vera Wang’s best wedding gown.
Eighty top fashion designers have made dresses for Barbie including luxury brands like Anna Sui, Moschino of Jeremy Scott and Versace. Thirty of them are available in Seoul.
However, the most important value of the Barbie doll is it has not only lived through history and reflects the fashion of each era, but also helped to introduce various jobs to children.
Barbie’s first job was as a fashion designer in 1959, but she soon had over 180 different occupations -- showing ideal jobs of the time. In 1961, she was a flight attendant and she became a surgeon in 1973, then a rock star in 1986. In early 2000, Barbie became president and turned into a ballerina six years later.
If Barbie showed mainly female-oriented jobs in the 1960s and 1970s, there is some variety in the 1980s and 1990s where she challenges male-dominated occupations and has had jobs as a doctor, pilot and rock star. Now Barbie has even more specific jobs such as computer programmer and president. The doll also represents different races and has many different hair and makeup styles.
“Ruth Handler, who first made Barbie, wanted to deliver the message through the toy that you can be anything. Handler wanted the doll to hold a certain philosophy, thus the Barbie doll became not just a toy but a history that reflects ideas and fashions of the time,” exhibition curator Sung Yun-jean said.
“It particularly shows a lot of fashions as many top designers have been showing love for the doll. It has become an icon of the time and I believe this exhibition is interesting for not only kids but also adults.”
The Barbie exhibition goes on until May 28 free of charge.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is also hosting an exhibition in time for Children’s Day with Pixar animation characters celebrating the animation studio’s 30th anniversary.
The event shows works that have been created while producing its animated films, such as a pastel drawing of Nemo from “Finding Nemo.”
The handworks of Disney characters have barely been seen in real life as many artists work on computers.
However, the Pixar exhibition in Seoul shows some animation art pieces drawn with pencil and characters made into sculptures using traditional methods.
A digital painting of Princess Merida of the Disney’s animated film “Brave” is also displayed at the exhibition.
The exhibition goes on until Aug. 18. Tickets cost 9,000 won to 13,000 won.
"Barbie: The ICON" exhibition at Avenuel Art Hall in Jamsil, Seoul, awaits visitors Thursday, a day before Children's Day, May 5. / Courtesy of Mattel