Artist Uses Barbie; Mattel Loves It

After reading so many accounts of artists being stifled by copyright and trademark law, it’s a breath of fresh air to see an artist that is not only using a corporate asset in her artwork, but more so that she’s also working with the corporation to create artwork.

Not only does artist Margaux Lange use “dismembered” Barbie doll parts to create jewelry, she’s even designing an exclusive line just for Mattel. She’s not alone, so is Phillippe Starck and Jonathan Adler. This is not to say that all artists should only create with the permission or consent of another artist or corporate giant (there is after all fair use). This is only to say that if given a choice between defending a trademark and copyright lawsuit, and working with Mattel, it would take an idiot to choose the first (see Shepard Fairey).

More on Lange and Mattel here.