Michael Jackson’s influence on contemporary art to be explored in major exhibition

LONDON’S National Portrait Gallery has announced plans to present a major new exhibition devoted to Michael Jackson’s enduring artistic influence.

A cultural fi gure whose legacy in music, dance and fashion is well-known, Jackson was also highly influential in the field of contemporary art.

The NPG plans to highlight this “untold story,” which began when Jackson’s image was used by Andy Warhol in 1982. Since then, say organisers, he has become the most depicted cultural fi gure in visual art.

Works by 40 artists will be shown together in “Michael Jackson: On the Wall,” including Maggi Hambling, Gary Hume, David LaChapelle and Grayson Perry; new works are also to be created specially for the show, according to the museum.

An accompanying scholarly publication will include essays by Nicholas Cullinan, Margo Jefferson and Zadie Smith.

The exhibition will run from June 28 through Oct 21, coinciding with what would have been Jackson’s 60th birthday (on Aug 29).

After that, it will show at the Grand Palais in Paris ( November 2018 to February 2019), the Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn ( March to July 2019) and Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Finland (August to November 2019).

Book tickets for the London exhibition at npg.org.uk/ michaeljackson. — Relaxnews