On July 25, 2023, a Georgian-speaking Facebook account published a photo of Barbie Baphomet, arguing that the creators of Barbie offer this kind of toy to children.
On July 26, 2023, the Russian-language page Умный Журнал, as well as Russian-language Facebook users (1, 2, 3) published a video in which a giant Barbie gets out of its box in the background of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, while people are moving around on the street. One user noted that it’s an 800-meter Barbie.
The disseminated posts about Barbie contain elements of visual manipulation. The pagan deity Baphomet Barbie was not released by Mattel; in fact, it was created by Argentinian artists for an exhibition in 2014, when they made more than 30 religious figures in the form of Barbie and Ken dolls. As for the giant Barbie in Dubai, it is a computer generated – CGI image.
Barbie Baphomet is neither a product designed by the creators of Barbie nor has it appeared recently. Mattel never released a Baphomet-designed Barbie. In fact, Barbie Baphomet was made by Argentinian artists for the exhibition “Barbie Plastic Religion” in 2014. Due to protests and criticism from a part of the public, the exhibition could not take place the first time, but eventually, the exhibition of the figures took place at the Popa Galeria in Buenos Aires. Artists under the name Pool and Marianela created 33 Barbies and Kens for the exhibition; all of them were religious figures. For example, this collection included Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, Judas, Buddha, Moses, etc. In addition, among the figures were the patron saints of Latin American countries.
As for the giant Barbie figure on the streets of Dubai, it is the so-called CGI, which means that it is not real and is assembled in a computer program. The video was first published on the Instagram page eyestudioae, which is an agency working on creating CGI animations and other illustrations.
The CGI video shows the first Barbie, released in 1959, wearing a black and white swimsuit. A giant Barbie dressed in the same costume recently appeared in the first scene of the movie “Barbie”, which was released on July 21.
About the Source
Facebook account Koba Kusiani has disseminated false information in the past as well. For more information, see:
- Pro-Kremlin Actors Presented as Georgian Scientists Ask Kremlin to Examine the Lugar Lab
- In What Instances Does Poland Demand the Return of Money Paid to Ukrainian Refugees?
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