03 September 2024 . 10:00
We are excited to invite you to this exclusive curator led tour of both Enzo Mari and Barbie at the Design Museum, London
Tuesday 3 September at 10am
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Enzo Mari
Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist with Francesca Giacomelli
This major exhibition celebrates the life and work of one of the greatest Italian designers of the 20th century, Enzo Mari, whose designs have inspired generations of creatives around the world.
Not only one of the 20th century’s most significant designers, Mari was also an artist, teacher, theorist, and more. During his prolific career, he created countless enduring and timeless designs, filling the homes and streets of the Milanese and beyond. An outspoken critic of the design industry, his uncompromising belief in the social responsibility of design resonates powerfully today, as we face ecological and ethical issues with ever greater urgency.
This unmissable retrospective which was produced and presented by Triennale Milano in 2020, spans Mari’s 60-year career and brings together hundreds of his projects, ranging from furniture, children’s books and games, product and graphic design, to more conceptual installation-based works. Archival material provides greater insight into Mari’s research process, and the key principles that guided and unified his work.
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Barbie
A major exhibition exploring the design evolution of one of the world’s most famous dolls: Barbie®. Journey into the Barbie universe and discover over 250 remarkable objects, with rare, unique and innovative dolls dating from 1959 to the present day.
Opening to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the Barbie brand in 2024, the exhibition explores the story of Barbie through a design lens, including fashion, architecture, furniture and vehicle design.
Highlights include a rare first edition of the very first doll released by Mattel in 1959 (‘Number 1 Barbie’), the groundbreaking Day to Night Barbie from 1985 and the best-selling Barbie of all time, 1992’s Totally Hair Barbie which sold over 10 million across the globe.
Other dolls highlight the diversity of the Barbie range, with examples of the first Black, Hispanic and Asian dolls to bear the Barbie name, as well as dolls that reflect today’s diverse, multicultural society, including the first Barbie with Down syndrome, the first to use a wheelchair, and the first to be designed with a curvy body shape.
We’re also showcasing the friends of Barbie, including her first friend, Midge, and the much-loved Christie and Teresa; as well as the younger sister of Barbie, Skipper. There’s a section dedicated to Ken, displaying six decades’ worth of Ken dolls on show, showing his evolution from his introduction in 1961.
Other objects from this historic brand such as Dreamhouses, vehicles and furniture are on show, including the first ever Barbie Dreamhouse™ from 1962. Together these items show how Barbie’s homes, vehicles and other products have all helped to design the universe in which she exists and has always reflected the tastes and trends of day, engaging with modern design in an aspirational but accessible way.
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BOOK HERE