Mark Ryden Develops Series of Barbie Artworks and Limited-Edition Dolls in Partnership With Mattel
Mattel Creations’ upcoming collaboration with Mark Ryden introduces Barbie to pop surrealism
The latest treat for Barbi enthusiasts comes from artist Mark Ryden and toy company Mattel. Mali-boo, the latest transformation of Barbi, features ash colored face, levitating hair, a raw meat purse and a lot of pink. The pieces will appear at Mark Ryden’s solo show, Pink Pop, opening on November 11th and ending on December 11th, 2022, at Kasmin Gallery.
The show will feature sculptures, watercolor paintings, a selection of studies, as well as Barbie dolls created for Mattel’s collectible platform Mattel Creations. Barbi has been Ryden’s preoccupation for a while, and the exhibit will include his first-ever depiction of the doll, a 1994 Saint Barbie. The exhibition is following the ongoing Barbiecore trend, which started with Valentino’s Pink PP Fall/Winter 2022–23 collection and continued with Greta Gerwig’s film Barbie (2023), starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
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“It is difficult to define Barbie,” Ryden added. “She is a cultural phenomenon, an archetypal figure. She is a bona fide celebrity, a subject worthy for Andy Warhol to portray alongside the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe.”
