During my attempt to research retail design for Eyewear, I payed a visit to The Cool Hunter, always trustworthy for some inspirational images. Upon my visit, I stumbled across the photography of Mariel Clayton. She contradicts images of nostalgia with a controversial display of sexuality, substance abuse and brutal murder, yet somehow manages to maintain the innocence of the primary subject, Barbie.
"I can’t explain how my mind works, or why these ideas come to it. It started out with a camera and a major interest in travel photography, but a sublime encounter in a Tokyo toy shop led me into the surreal world of Japanese miniatures, and ultimately to the stories that could be told with them. Since I started working with dolls, I have grown more and more to appreciate what can be done with them, how the smallest gesture or placement seems to convey volumes. Also, I happen to think it’s a damn funny medium. I’m entirely self-taught in photography. ” – Mariel Clayton.
