Lunchtime Talks are a series of informal presentations at Watershed's Pervasive Media Studio. They normally take place at 13:00 on a Friday, are free and are open to everybody who is interested in what they do. Come along, bring a sandwich, and get to know more about the Studio community, current and up-coming projects, or residents' work.

Jennifer has recently joined us in the Studio as a Research Fellow with the Digital Cultures Research Centre, exploring ideas around ‘The Automation of Everyday Life.’ She is co-editor of a collection of essays entitled Dolls Studies: The Many Meanings of Girls’ Toys and Play and we have invited her to share her thoughts on the phenomena that is Nicki Minaj, and her subversive, Barbie-esque super fans, 'the Barbz'.

Jennifer says: Wide-eyed and voluptuous, hip hop sensation Nicki Minaj poses on the cover of her 2010 debut studio album, Pink Friday. Donned in a super-sleek pink wig, hot pink lipstick, shiny pink lace-up platform boots, and a shimmering corseted dress winged in tulle, the songstress sits propped, pouting for the camera. To accentuate this spectacle, the album image has been noticeably altered. Minaj’s legs are elongated into caricature, her arms erased in their entirety. The reigning princess of hip hop gazes out at her fans as a hyperfeminine and hyperreal representation of a black Barbie doll.

Jennifer will trace this persona’s 5-year evolution, and consider its meaning to Minaj’s devoted fans. She will query how the digitisation of the feminine body and the prominence of social media fansites and forums both challenge and redefine what we think about celebrity and fandom in popular culture. Jennifer is also currently writing a book about the role of the doll in the standardisation of beauty.

The Pervasive Media Studio is located within the Watershed building. Let us know if you'd like a tour and we'll be happy to show you around. Send an email to admin@pmstudio.co.uk

Please Note: This talk was initially programmed for Fri 30 Oct and was postponed - we are very happy to welcome Jennifer back to give this talk.

---