Michael Jackson: One the Wall

Lavish exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery looking at how Michael Jackson has inspired cotemporary artists both in his life time and since his death.

 
This was quite a precise definition of the show and maybe not the one most people had come for, which I image was an overview of the life and work of the singer. However everyone there seemed to be enjoying it so maybe it didn’t matter! I did find the show a bit dumbed down and only just spotted that the map/leaflet marks selfie spots.
 
There were some wonderful pieces but there was also a big gap because the Jeff Koons ceramic Michael Jackson wasn’t there as it’s too frail to travel! There were lots of references to it and works with it in but, as the most famous contemporary art Jackson piece, it was the elephant that wasn’t in the room. Also some of the work had been commissioned for the show which I thought was a bit of a cheat as was it really inspired by Jackson or by being commissioned for a Jackson show?
 
I loved the first big picture you see opposite the entrance, a life sized picture of Jackson on a horse by Kehinde Wiley, based on Ruben’s portrait of Philip II of Spain. The artist uses Western art to redefine black figures and this was the final work Jackson commissioned. I also liked Graham Dolphin’s album covers where he’d handwritten all the lyrics in a pattern on them.
 
It was great to see the original art work for the Behind the Mask album by Mark Dyden and to see great use made of the image to introduce you to the second part of the show. My favourite piece though was by Auppau Junior Boakye-Yiadom and was a pair of loafers supported on their tips in a typical Jackson dance move by helium balloons. Such a simple, clever idea.
 
Closes on 21 October 2018
 
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