From the very first day that Diana arrived at Beresford House we saw that she was different from us other girls, and we soon found out where the difference lay. Diana ought to have been born a boy, and it was the greatest mistake that ever happened.
(excerpt from 'Tomboy Diana' by C. Bernard Rutley from the book 'Jolly Annual for Girls' : Children's Press, Glasgow, 1930.)
This is the second photo in a series I'm producing using a Barbie™ doll, marked 1999 Mattel Inc. Indonesia.1. I purchased the doll as well as a vibrant, green, domed-shaped Tupperware™ container that caught my eye from an op-shop in the city last week. I may include the container in future photos with Barbie™, because Tupperware™ reminds me of the past and of things that are contained/protected and which inevitably form mould and disintegrate. The Jolly Annual for Girls (inscribed on the inside cover with the words: 'To Nancy with love from Daddy, 6th Sept. 1933, Age 13 years'), was given to me last year by Laura, my son's girlfriend and was just perfect for Barbie's early morning contortions. Whilst I was playing around with Barbie's limited range of movement, I thought of the amazing plasticity of the dolls used by Hans Bellmer and Cindy Sherman, as well as the strangely distored figures in the work of Francis Bacon. The poster on my kitchen wall - a 2001 photograph by Spencer Tunick of a large group of naked people lying on the ground is also an influence and inspiration. I may attempt to create an image in which Barbie™, in many positions is reproduced as clone of herself. Watch this space!
1. The first image was called 'Dollface', which I posted on February 10.
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