8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, August 13, 1997
'U' Barbie arrives in stores,
targets alums, youth, collectors
By Stephanie Hepburn Barbie and customized her for each university region by color
Daily Staff Reporter of her cheerleading uniform and logo on her shirt for the 19
Dressed in maize and blue, the new University of Michigan universities."
cheerleader Barbie has found its home on the shelves of Ann Mattel plans to add 15 more universities to the collection
Arbor toy stores, as well as stores near the University's Flint by next year.
and Dearborn campuses. McKendall predicts that alumni, fans and children of alum-
Barbie dons the colors of 19 universities, selected on the ni will be the majority of consumers and to a lesser degree
basis of stadium and student size and the level of collegiate- collectors.
licensed product sales. In addition to the University, Barbie
Ken Peterson, public relations dolls represent other schools, including
spokesperson for Toys 'R' Us, Georgetown, Miami, Texas and Penn
revealed that more stock of the new The Universi State Universities, as well as the
Wolverine Barbie was concentrated University of North Carolina and the
in University campus stores due to rbie should haVe University of Georgia.
the traditionally high collegiate sales Unlike baseball hats, university
for University merchandise. wide appeal ... Barbies are sold only in the region sur-
"The University is in the top three rounding the school. The University of
in collegiate-licensed product sales - Ken Peterson Michigan Barbie can only be found in
across the country," Peterson said. Toys 'R' Us spokesperson Michigan, while Penn State Barbie is
Peterson said he anticipates good on the shelves only in Pennsylvania.
sales for the Wolverine Barbie. Some alumni and students are not
"The doll should sell very well. Currently all stores should enchanted by University Barbie's arrival on campus.
have a good quantity on hand," he said. "The University Dona Weisman, an alumna of the University, believes that
Barbie should have a wide appeal, both children and the cheerleading University Barbie does not exemplify
University students are predicted to be big consumers of the women at the University.
product." "University Barbie ... as representative of the university is
Lisa McKendall, director for marketing communications regressive, bringing back the obstacles of the trophy female
for Mattel, Inc., the doll's manufacturer, said the university that the University is trying to make obsolete," Weisman said.
barbie doll is a unique and new experience for Mattel. "Barbie poses an unrealistic model for young girls."
"This is the first time that one Mattel product has been cus- The University will receive an 8-percent royalty from each
tomized for certain regions, McKendall said. "We took one pom-pom-bearing University Barbie sold.
y E.
50OH5DAN DAS C AP, A A,
Kewei Wang restores ancient Asian artwork in the basement of the University
Museum of Art. Wang is one of only a few Asian art conservators worldwide.
U'revves Asian ar't.i
UM Student Participation
Wanted for a Marketing Survey,
1
By Dolores Arabo
Daily Staff Reporter
Asian art conservator Kewei Wang
has an extraordinary talent that only a
few of the world's population have
learned to master.
Wang works eight hours every day in
the University Museum of Art's Asian
Conservation Lab to restore pieces of
Chinese art from all over the world.
"She is just like a doctor," said
Marshall Wu, senior curator ofAsian art.
"When the patient is very sick - per-
haps even needs a heart - she can give
life and bring the original glory back."
The collection of Asian art in the
United States began about 100 years
ago. Many of the imported pieces were
damaged because of their fragility.
Wu said that during the "olden days"
of the 11th and 12th century, Chinese
art was not hung on walls or publically
presented. Instead, art was created with
the intention of preservation.
The Chinese tradition of art changed
in the 15th and 16th century. People
began to hang paintings and present the
art. The materials became lighter and
softer. Japanese art, however, which
was brought from China in the I lth
century, remained true to the original
art form.
Finding a skilled conservator is not
an easy task, Wu said. After two years
in China spent searching for a conser-
vator, Wu finally found one. Thus, the
University museum's first Asian
Conservation Lab began in 1987.
"The University has given us a
tremendous amount of support from the
beginning until now, which we do
appreciate," Wu said.
The conservation lab is primaril
funded by the Starr foundation in Nes
York, which sponsors many other
museums and cultural activities.
Wang began training to be a conser-
vator in her early teens at the Palace
Museum in Beijing. She continued her
career at the Mannheim Kunsthalle in
Germany where Wu discovered her.
"(A conservator's job) requires more
than talent - it requires a lot of dedi-
cation and discipline," Wu said. "I just
wish that more young people could fac
this kind of challenge."
Before museums hired conservators
and created conservation labs, many
sent damaged art to Japan for restora-
tion, which was costly, time-consuming
and damaging to the art.
Training is a difficult process that
involves a fusion of thoughts, knowl-
edge and movement, Wu said.
"You make no mistakes," Wu said.
"You can not afford to make any mi4
takes. It's rewarding to see people's
reactions when they see their work
completed. We have never received one
complaint."
I
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Date: Wednesday 8120 1-7 p.m.
Thursday 8/21 1-7 p.m.
Friday 8/22 1-7 p.m.
Place: School of Business Administration
E-mail omura umich.edu to schedule appointment
Richardson's
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