Controversy over religious Barbie and Ken in Argentina

«In the face of a world that rewards us for all thinking, acting and feeling the same, Marianela and Pool rebel by reaffirming themselves differently. They use humor to underline their disconnection with a historical, political, religious universe that stands out as fictitious and in which they see their followers trapped. older,» reads its website.

It was one of the works, the one that represents the Deceased Correa -a popularly venerated figure in Argentina- that provoked the indignation of the authorities of San Juan, the province where the sanctuary of the Deceased is located.

«This does not correspond. It is a matter of faith that we take great care of, that is why a few years ago we patented the name and image,» Daniel Rojas, the administrator of the Difunta Correa site in San Juan, told local media. a place where thousands of Argentines come every year to thank the promises kept.

He assured that if it were up to him, he would sue the couple of artists, who have already been contacted by the San Juan authorities, who administered the place.

«The image and the name are patented, it is exclusive to us, we would go for damages,» he said, adding that they received numerous calls from the faithful complaining about the work.

The authors acknowledged that they hoped that their show could arouse criticism, although they did not expect it to come from the authorities or from the faithful themselves.

«We knew that there could be some controversy with Mattel (the toy firm that creates the dolls), that the use of Barbie would bother them,» Marianela tells BBC Mundo.

«But we never imagined that we had to ask for permission to use the image of the deceased Correa. They called me from the San Juan government to tell me that I should have asked for permission to use the image, which is patented, I couldn’t believe it,» he adds. .

His partner, Pool, also explains that they have «nothing against religions» and that they took great care to respect beliefs.

Thus, for example, they say that they are working on other Barbie and Ken figures, but not including Muhammad, for example, since Islam considers representations of the prophet offensive. Other representatives of that religion will not work either.

«Our commitment is to honor and not disrespect,» says Pool.

The authors from Rosario, who identify themselves as followers of the artistic current lowbrowThey had previously worked representing well-known figures in Argentine politics and popular culture, such as soccer player Diego Maradona or former de facto ruler Leopoldo Galtieri.

They also have dolls of Juan Domingo Perón and Evita, of President Cristina Fernández pregnant with «la república» and even Pope Francis; but this is the first time they have dedicated an exhibition entirely to religion.

However, they maintain that neither their intention nor their art has to do with provocative works on religion such as that of León Ferrari, a well-known Argentine artist who angered the country’s Catholics with works such as Jesus crucified on a US bomber plane.

Then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio – today Francis – strongly criticized one of his retrospective shows in 2004.

That controversy sparked one of the most intense debates on art, respect for beliefs and freedom of expression witnessed to date in Argentina.

This time, the critics are leaving positive things to the artists.

Several art galleries in the interior of the country have been interested in exhibiting the sample after it is exhibited in Buenos Aires and they are even receiving orders to sell religious Barbie and Ken from various countries, something that they have decided not to do for now.

All for a project that began «as a kind of revenge» for the role of the doll in the lives of artists.

«I’ve been a lover of barbies since I was little, but my mother, who was a feminist, only bought me one -the tropical one-«, says Marianela.

«But I always wanted more.»