Mark Moore Gallery is pleased to present the premiere exhibition of Barbie Millicent Roberts, David Levinthal’s new 20 x 24 polaroid series honoring one of the world’s most well-known
and enduring feminine icons.
Over 20 images culled from over seventy works of the “classical” Barbie will be presented (circa 1959 - 1971), with attention to the various manifestations, clothes, accessories, and attitudes that have made this persona so beloved.
At Mark Moore Gallery, a definitive portrait emerges of a surrogate feminine presence that has pervaded the world as a teacher, a friend, and a mediator between mothers and daughters - a role model of far-flung and enduring influence on generations.
Barbie continues Levinthal’s on-going exploration of the codification of human behavior through our creation of - and encouragement to utilize - toys, particularly as children and young adults.
In this respect, Barbie follows on Levinthal’s investigation of other sociological and cultural myth-making as is evidenced in his earlier series Hitler Moves East (1975-77); Modern Romance (1984-86); The Wild West (1987-89); American Beauties (1989-90);
Mein Kampf (1993-94) and Blackface (1995-96).
David Levinthal was the subject of a one-person 20-year retrospective at the International Center Of Photography in 1997, and his work is included in the collections of the Museum Of Modern Art, New York; The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art; The Whitney Museum Of American Art, New York; The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York, and The Corcoran Gallery Of Art, Washington, D.C. among others.