HiBarbie (2023)

for solo percussion, visuals and live-electronics

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Am I just a PLASTIC?

Barbie has already become a definite noun.

Barbie is already a symbol.

Barbie couldn’t ignore the change.

Barbie accepted.

Barbie became a Barbie.

Barbie became that Barbie.

Barbie became this Barbie.

Barbie still accepts what’s left.

Barbie accepts still.​​​

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Performed by Henry Heizmann (Percussionist) 

Video & Audio Production by ZKM

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HiBarbie is a multimedia percussion piece that integrates live performance, visual elements, and electronic soundscapes to create layered meanings. The performer utilizes a snare drum, a Barbie doll, and a barcode scanner as instruments, engaging with the doll through a contact microphone and an endoscope camera to explore both sonically and visually. Projected close-ups and distant shots place the audience in a deliberately voyeuristic position, prompting deep reflection on themes of the body, observation, privacy, power, and perception.

The Barbie doll has long been a symbol of femininity, but its meaning has evolved over time. Initially, it reflected a fixed image of femininity through a slender body, long legs, blonde hair, and an idealized lifestyle. However, over time, Barbie has adapted to societal changes, incorporating diverse professions, races, and body types. This transformation, however, was not voluntary; it was a necessary response to the demands of the times. Despite this, Barbie has continued to evolve, absorbing new social meanings along the way.

HiBarbie explores the tension between objectification and agency. Some of the sounds used in the piece are distorted and edited recordings from Iranian women’s protests, reflecting the sociopolitical context of the work. The barcode scanner, in this context, is more than just a tool for reading information; it serves as a means of connecting and transforming individual pieces of data into a musical composition. The data obtained through barcode scanning is converted into sound and image, with individual elements being constructed into a cohesive musical flow. Through this process, the piece explores how both personal and societal information intertwine and develop into a new musical narrative.

In HiBarbie, Barbie is not simply a metaphor, but an instrument in itself, embodying resistance, transformation, and new possibilities.

Ultimately, in HiBarbie, Barbie is more than just a plastic doll. She is a symbol, a social icon embedded with history. Barbie is not merely a consumer product; she is a figure whose meaning is continuously redefined and reconstructed within the context of societal change. In this work, Barbie is not a subject of negative critique, but rather a force with the power and positive energy to drive social transformation.