Discarded dolls typically end up in landfills, but thanks to Australian artist Freya Jobbins, recycled Barbie and Ken dolls are being reused as a medium for her artistic sculpture. As reported by Designboom, her new series is the byproduct of her newfound passion for Greek mythology and her love for miniature detail and symmetry.
The works of art—which give off a creepy and disturbing vibe—take old children’s dolls and create caricatures of adult faces and bodies. Her work is influenced by Guiseppe Archimboldo’s fruit and vegetable paintings, Ron Mueck’s oversized humans, Kathe Kollwitz, Friederich Hundertwasser, and Frida Kahlo.
She explains more about her three dimensional portraits:
My work explores the relationship between consumerist fetishism and the emerging recycling culture within the visual arts. Due to our society’s overspending on children’s plastic toys, especially dolls, the materials for my assemblages are very accessible.
I, for one, am a fan or artists using recycled materials for their art—there is something inherently wonderful about a work of art being created by materials that would otherwise be discarded and trashed. Jobbins work, to me, is the 3D rendition of deceased contemporary artist Keith Harin’s iconic tangle of humanity outlined silhouettes and reminded me of Gustav Vigeland’s statues in Oslo, Norway.
But her work is more than just interlocked bodies forming a design or shape. It makes a statement about consumerism in current society. If you’re looking to ethically recycle toys then consider these tips:
- REUSE toys by passing them to family members, donating them to local charities and hospitals, repair broken toys or trying selling the toys online or at a yard sale.
- DISPOSE BATTERIES with a with a household hazardous waste (HHW) program. But if possible, opt for rechargeable batters since they last longer.
- ELECTRONIC TOYS should be recycled should be recycled with other e-waste.
