Barbie: The Exhibition Opens at London's Design Museum
Amy Duong — July 7, 2024 — Art & Design
References: designmuseum.org & dezeen
Barbie: The Exhibition opens its doors at London's Design Museum where a rich history of Barbie dolls and dreamhouses adorn the space. The curation showcases the shift in visual culture that took place over the toy's 65 years. There are over 250 objects on display at Barbie: The Exhibition and it explores the plethora of aesthetic and cultural decisions that were considered when creating Barbie and how she has changed with time.
Danielle Thom, curator of the exhibition speaks about the toy's influence throughout the years and explains, "What I would really like visitors to take away from the show, whether they've come as Barbie fans or Barbie skeptics but with an interest in design, is that there is actually a very complex and intentional set of design processes that go into creating the dolls and the accessories. I want people to realise that Barbie is a worthy proposition from a design point of view
Image Credit: Jo Underhill
Danielle Thom, curator of the exhibition speaks about the toy's influence throughout the years and explains, "What I would really like visitors to take away from the show, whether they've come as Barbie fans or Barbie skeptics but with an interest in design, is that there is actually a very complex and intentional set of design processes that go into creating the dolls and the accessories. I want people to realise that Barbie is a worthy proposition from a design point of view
Image Credit: Jo Underhill
Trend Themes
1. Design-focused Toy Exhibitions - Exhibitions such as Barbie: The Exhibition reveal the intentional and intricate design processes behind iconic toys, highlighting the intersection of play and art.
2. Cultural Evolution of Toys - Display events that track the evolution of toys like Barbie demonstrate how cultural and aesthetic shifts inform product iterations over decades.
3. Historical Toy Aesthetics - Explorations of toys' historical aesthetics, like those presented at Barbie: The Exhibition, show how design choices reflect broader cultural contexts.
Industry Implications
1. Toy Manufacturing - The toy manufacturing industry gains insight into the long-standing impact of design choices via exhibitions that trace the historical development of products like Barbie.
2. Museum and Exhibitions - Museums and exhibition spaces can attract diverse audiences by curating shows that highlight the complex design narratives of culturally significant toys.
3. Design and Culture - The intersection of design and cultural analysis is elucidated through exhibitions that showcase the rigorous design processes behind iconic dolls such as Barbie.
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