I’m sure plenty of you have already seen something about artist Nickolay Lamm re-proportioning a Barbie doll according to the average measurements of a typical 19 year old girl as reported by the CDC. Lots of blogs have been fawning over this art project and Flavorwire went as far as to include it in a piece called “10 Radical Art Projects That Celebrate Women’s Bodies.” Perhaps I’m being a bit nit picky but I think the project falls pretty short of radical (and it’s the Barbie dimensions that are obviously more true to the definition of radical) in it’s execution. I’m talking shape and form.
Granted there are a lot of 19yr old girls that do look like that and he did use average measurements, I would argue the majority don’t have their measurements fitting that shape. C’mon, look at that ass, look at that thigh gap (lol). Just cuz you have average measurements doesn’t mean the average shape and form is to follow. Therein lies my issue with this being an average body type. Besides why not do the average of a 25yr old, after some more life experiences, the freshman 15, and body changes?
I digress. I’ll say again that it’s the execution that I think falls short and not the intent. Which in reality could be even worse if it causes girls without this body type to feel like this radical, progressive body image is the real one to measure themselves against. At least with Barbie the measurements were so far fetched that it was easier not to legitimately use as a litmus test.
Regardless, it is worthy of looking at Flavorwire (10 Radical Art Projects That Celebrate Women’s Bodies) and HyperAllergic (Deconstructing Barbie’s Disproportion) for other really dope art projects promoting healthy body images for women of all types.
