Salma Hayek voiced her disapproval of Mattel’s decision of making a Barbie out of Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. The 51-year-old actress spoke up about the newly released Frida barbie doll who is missing her signature unibrow and other famous hallmark pieces of the women’s right’s icon.
Salma posted an image of the doll to her Instagram and stated that, “#fridakahlo never tried to be or look like anyone else. She celebrated her uniqueness. How could they turn her into a Barbie.”
The relatives of Frida Khalo and the corporation claims it possesses the rights to Frida’s image after the Frida doll was announced, according to the Independent . The doll is said to be available for available for $29.99.
Kahlo’s family members have alleged that the rights to the feminist icon’s image may have been stolen.
A great-niece of Kahlo, Mara de Anada Romeo, has asserted that Mattel does not have the rights to Frida’s image.
The family’s corporate lawyer said in a statement that his clients are not seeking any type of monetary gain, but asking the U.S. toymaker to redesign the doll.
Kahlo’s family denies allowing Mattel to base a figurine on Frida , according to TMZ .
The Frida doll was released as part of Mattel’s “Inspiring Women” series which also includes pioneering women like Katherine Johnson and Amelia Earhart.
In a statement to the Guardian , Romeo’s lawyer, Pablo Sangri, suggests changing the appearance of the doll Mattel.
“We will talk to them about regularizing this situation, and by regularizing I mean talking about the appearance of the doll, its characteristics, the history the doll should have to match what the artist really was.”
Mattel, a firm with headquarters in California, and the Frida Kahlo Corporation have rejected all claims.
The family has also accused Mattel of manipulating the appearance of the Kahlo doll and disregarding the values that the artist was so well known for. Kahlo used her work to explore difficult questions of gender, post-colonialism, race, and class in Mexican society.
Actress Salma Hayek won an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Frida Kahlo in the 2002 biopic, Frida.
Frida Kahlo is considered one of the most popular and recognizable Mexican artists in the world. In 1954, Kahlo died. However, her face has been plastered on everything. Kahlo’s image has been appropriated to generate a major number of consumer products from lipstick to tequila to handbags.
According to the Independent , Kahlo was a communist. In 1927, the artist joined the Mexican Communist Party where she met her husband and celebrated muralist, Diego Rivera, and a close circle of tight-knit group activists and artist.
Frida Kahlo’s family is enraged that she was made into a Barbie doll https://t.co/Q6SIUhNYq6
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 9, 2018
According to the Independent , Mattel insisted the firm possessed permission to produce the representation of Kahlo in the form of a Barbie doll.
“Mattel has worked in close partnership with the Frida Kahlo Corporation, the owner of all rights related to the name and identity of Frida Kahlo, on the creation of this doll.”
The firm added that in addition to the Frida Kahlo Corporation being an important part of the doll development process, they had their permission and a legally binding agreement to make a doll in the likeness of Frida Kahlo.