Missouri Library Dean
Removes Barbie Exhibit
Reacting to a number of complaints that a Barbie-doll sculpture in a library display case was offensive and inappropriate, the dean of library services for Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg has ordered the “Women in the Kitchen” exhibit pulled. “We have a children’s literature festival coming here,” Paladugu Rao explained in the March 8 CMSU newspaper The Muleskinner.
“The kids are coming to a college campus,” artist Valerie Thompson responded, “Should we take down everything just to dumb it down for kids?”
According to The Muleskinner, Associate Professor of Library Services Cheryl Riley admitted having had reservations about including Thompson’s sculpture in the Women’s History Month tribute to female artists. “I decided that I would be committing censorship if I didn’t, just because it was going to be controversial.”
Removed February 28, the sculpture depicts four naked Barbie dolls sitting at a doll-sized kitchen table upon which rests a platter containing the bloody head of a Ken doll.
Posted March 19, 2001.
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