EMMA - Michael Jackson On the Wall

Paul McCarthy - Michael Jackson and Bubbles 

The exhibition Michael Jackson On the Wall was planned and put together before the documentary Leaving Neverland was released in the spring 2019. This exhibition was first presented in National Portrait Gallery, London (2018), followed by Grand Palais, Paris and Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn. Espoo Museum of Modern Art, EMMA says lamenting the situation and being against all kind of abuse, but canceling the most expensive exhibition in the museum’s history was not an option. I don’t read celebrity gossips, nor have seen the documentary; so I don’t have a personal opinion on the matter, just saw this as an art exhibition.  The space was a bit shadowy, but in spite of that some impressions.

Since Andy Warhol first used his image in 1982, Jackson has become the most depicted cultural figure in visual art by an extraordinary array of leading contemporary artists. On the Wall brings together the works of over forty of these artists, drawn from public and private collections around the world, including new works made especially for the exhibition.

Mark Ryden - Dangerous

Kehinde Wiley - Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II. 

Jackson's own commissioned work, which was not completed until after his death.

Lorraine O'Grady's exciting set of four photo collages featuring the artist

compares Charles Baudelaire and Jackson at different stages of their careers.

Faith Ringgold textile work Who's Bad? is painted on canvas.

The central part of the painting is surrounded by a quilting border.

The featured artists are: Rita Ackermann, Emma Amos, Lyle Ashton Harris, Dara Birnbaum, Appau Junior Boakye-Yiadom, Candice Breitz, Monster Chetwynd, Michael Craig-Martin, Dexter Dalwood, Graham Dolphin, Mark Flood, Isa Genzken, Michael Gittes, Todd Gray, Kai Guetta, Maggi Hambling, Jonathan Horowitz, Rashid Johnson, Isaac Julien, Johannes Kahrs, KAWS, David LaChapelle, Louise Lawler, Klara Lidén, Glenn Ligon, Sam Lipp, Isaac Lythgoe, Paul McCarthy, Rodney McMillian, Dawn Mellor, Dan Mihaltianu, Mr. Brainwash, Lorraine O’Grady, Catherine Opie, Yan Pei-Ming, Grayson Perry, Paul Pfeiffer, Faith Ringgold, Michael Robinson, Pamela Rosenkrantz, Mark Ryden, Susan Smith-Pinelo, Donald Urquhart, Andy Warhol, Kehinde Wiley, Hank Willis Thomas, Jordan Wolfson and Rose Wylie.

About the exhibition, in French 

// WILLY-NILLY 
// IMAGE-IN-ING