Your eyes are fooling you. This isn't the latest Hoarders episode, but rather an art project from photographer/artist Carrie M. Becker, who used 1/6 scale miniatures to envision "a more 'current' view of Barbie's lifestyle" entitled Barbie Trashes Her Dreamhouse. Becker says current, we say macabre, but Becker's cool project does reflect on America's obsession with that television show and its obsession with messy lives. And it does provide one realistic answer to the question of how such a busy woman (President, newborn baby doctor, firefighter, paleontologist--now perhaps Barbie: Cat Lady) had the time to keep that gaudy Malibu beach house pristine without a cleaning person. Becker explains:

She's now accepting applications for a maid!

This series was done in part during an artist residency, otherwise I never would have had the time. I hope the tiny things are as amusing to view as it was for me to make them. Additionally, inspiration definitely came from the TV shows "Hoarders" and "How Clean Is Your House?".

For Becker's full image set click here. BTHD will be presented at the Riney Fine Arts Center Gallery in Wichita Kansas later this year.

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Alexander Abad-Santos