Michael Jackson and Art: Exhibition "On the Wall" shows the "King of Pop"

Michael Jackson sits on a white horse wearing a blue cape, sword and armor. Two angels hover over him, one holding a crown of leaves – the picture is reminiscent of the kitsch, with which Jackson has surrounded himself during his lifetime on his neverland ranch himself . Jackson did not see the portrait commissioned by Kehinde Wiley, he died before it was over. He probably thought that he was a good fit – royally, with a penchant for eccentric outfits.

The fans, who still admire Jackson as an ingenious musician and dancer, are likely to follow this interpretation. For others, the pop star symbolizes the morbid in show business so far: a black bearer of hope, who seemed wegzuboperieren with skin whitening and nasal reductions themselves – and at the late was suspected of pedophilia.

The controversies surrounding Jackson also left their mark on modern art – through Generations, genre and genres: works by international greats such as star photographer David LaChapelle, artist Isa Genzken and quilt painter Faith Ringgold

Between Art and Reality

The National Portrait Gallery of London presents 48 artists in the exhibition "On the Wall" Michael Jackson – and captures quite different facets of its pop-cultural significance: The portrait in knight armor is modeled on the painting of the king of Spain Philip II, who once made Rubens. Jackson has white skin, long, straight hair and a pointed nose. Gary Hume also describes Jackson as he wanted to watch in his last phase of life. However, less idealized: One eye is underlined in black, the white of its skin is in striking contrast with its black eyebrows and its hair:

Star photographer David LaChapelle, in turn, puts Jackson in a middleman's world. artificiality and reality: A model runs on a path of bright cubes and stretching her arms towards Jackson, who is represented with an image of the short film "Billie Jean". Andy Warhol immortalized the young Michael Jackson for the cover of Time Magazine 1984: slightly smiling, with a face framed in blue on a bright yellow background. Warhol knew the singer personally – the "King of Pop Culture" described the "King of Pop".

Politically, Todd Gray became a political star: from 1979 to 1983, he was the personal photographer of the star. For "On the Wall", he originally wanted to criticize Jackson's pursuit of the ideals of white beauty. Then he changed his plans – he realized that Jackson's operations were only a symptom of a systemic problem of American or Western culture. Now, Gray mixes his images of Jackson with photographs of Ghana to "place Michael in the African diaspora to start a conversation about colonialism."

Some artists treat the work of Jackson's life from the point of view of his admirers . Some only break the cult in a subtle way: Catherine Opie designed the bedside table of archetypal fans, Candice Breitz allows 16 supporters to sing the thriller album in parallel.

But again the Fantum is reflected directly: Rodney McMillian photographs the audience to show that to adore someone is a deeply human impulse.

The exhibition "On the Wall" is still online until October 21, 2018 National Portrait Gallery in London. From 22 March to 14 July 2019, she will be invited to the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.