The Argentinean “Barbie, the Plastic Religion” doll to be presented during an exhibition in Buenos Aires from October 11 has stirred controversy. The artists behind the creation are Pool Paolini and Marianela Perelli, and they state that if there’s a Barbie doctor, teacher and police officer, then there should also be a Virgin of Lujan Barbie. All up they created 33 Barbie and Ken dolls inspired by Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam.
San Juan’s authorities are enraged by the sacrilege of the figures that they feel is out of place. Italy’s Catholic bishops are also furious of the Barbie and Ken dolls that depict the Virgin Mary and Crucified Christ.
On their part, the two Argentinean artists said they had expected controversy from extremist Muslim factions but hadn’t expected that the anger would come from representatives of their own local religion.
