An exhibition of art focusing on Michael Jackson is opening in Bonn's Bundeskunsthalle, amid fresh controversy over the singer's alleged abuse of children. The show's organizers say they want to open the debate.
'American Jesus: Hold me, carry me boldly' by US artist David LaChapelle Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Meissner
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The show at Bonn's Bundeskunsthalle was conceived long before the recent broadcast of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which details Jackson's alleged molestation of two boys.
"Michael Jackson: On the Wall" was first shown at London's National Portrait Gallery, where it was developed, and then moved on to the Grand Palais in Paris, where the show ran through February 14.
But the image of the "King of Pop" has since completely changed. While there had been similar accusations in the past, by revealing soul-shaking testimonies of 40-year-old James Safechuck and 36-year-old Wade Robson, the documentary, which first aired on March 3 and 4, has led various radio stations throughout the world to stop playing Jackson's music.
Rein Wolfs, director of the BundeskunsthalleImage: picture-alliance/dpa/H. Kaiser
Despite the renewed indignation against the deceased pop superstar, the art museum in western Germany has decided to hold the exhibition as planned, from March 22 to July 14. "Especially now, when new abuse accusations have come to light, it's important to reassess the 'King of Pop,'" said Rein Wolfs, director at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.
Rather than being a homage, the exhibition shows Jackson from varying, even critical, angles, the director said at a press presentation ahead of the opening: "I believe it's better to have a platform that enables discussion rather than simply to extinguish a cultural memory."
Revisiting Michael Jackson's legacy
He left his glove print on an entire generation. As a troubling documentary on Jackson's alleged sex abuse of children revives the debate on the "King of Pop," who died in 2009, we take a look at his legacy.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/Yui Mok
Tremors around the world
On June 25, 2009, news broke that Michael Jackson — the "King of Pop" — was dead. He had just announced his global farewell tour, "This Is It." Jackson was one of the most successful entertainers of all time. Nearly every album he released set some sort of record, and he received 13 Grammy Awards, the music industry's highest honor.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/Yui Mok
Not a happy childhood
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in a ghetto in Gary, Indiana. At first, he grew up with his five brothers and three sisters in poverty. Later, he would bitterly complain that his childhood was sacrificed to show business. His manager and father, Joe Jackson, who died on June 28, was particularly hard on his children.
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The Jackson Five
Joe Jackson didn't waste any time training his children for stardom. At age five, Michael took the stage for the first time with his brothers Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Randy. The boy group won one talent show after the other, thanks in no small part to Michael's performances. In 1969, the group got a record contract with the legendary soul label Motown. Michael turned 11 that year.
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Breakthrough
In 1982, Michael Jackson released the solo album that would take his stardom to practically unknown heights. "Thriller" became one of the biggest hits in music history, selling more than 108 million copies and solidifying the 24-year-old's reputation as the "King of Pop." Follow-up releases "Bad" and "Dangerous" sold 30 million and 15 million copies, respectively.
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The 'new' Michael
Meanwhile, the "King of Pop" was visibly changing. He had his first cosmetic surgery in 1979 after breaking his nose in an accident. His skin tone grew lighter and lighter. He insisted he was proud to be black and suffered from a pigment disorder. The singer also appeared in public more and more frequently with a surgery mask on, claiming he was afraid of infectious diseases.
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Refuge at Neverland
In 1988, Jackson bought a ranch in California, naming it after the home of Peter Pan where children never grew up. He had an amusement park, a zoo and a movie theater built on the site. It offered a place for children suffering from illness or social problems to come stay and play. His beloved chimpanzee Bubbles was always in attendance.
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True love or just an act?
In 1994, the "King of Pop" married the daughter of the "King of Rock": Lisa Marie Presley. Their marriage lasted just 20 months, and speculation mounted that it was just a show for the media. Presley later said she was completely in love with him but didn't want to be part of his "PR machine." Their first public kiss, she said, was arranged by Jackson's manager.
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Finally a father
After his divorce to Presley, Michael Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a nurse. Their nuptials were reportedly arranged based on the singer's wish for children. Rowe gave birth to Prince Michael I and Paris. Jackson said a third child, Prince Michael II, was born to a surrogate mother. He had sole custody of all three children.
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Success on tour
In 1996-97, Michael Jackson went on his final world tour as a solo artist. With "HIStory," he performed 82 concerts in 58 cities for more than 4.5 million fans. It took him back to his big successes from the 1980s, and his legendary moonwalk remained in top form.
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Serious accusations
Allegations of child abuse against the superstar began as early as 1994. One case didn't go to trial following a multi-million settlement with a family. In 2003, new allegations emerged. Although Jackson was acquitted in 2005, his reputation was ruined. When he left the courthouse with his mother, Katherine, onlookers saw a physically and psychologically broken man.
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Planned comeback
In March 2009, Michael Jackson made the surprise announcements of his comeback. Pre-sales for the tour "This Is It" exceeded all expectations, but there were major doubts that Jackson was physically capable of going through with the 40 planned concerts. On June 25, 2009, 18 days before the first show in Los Angeles, the world learned he had died.
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In the hot seat
Forensic doctors determined that the "King of Pop" had died of an overdose of the narcotic Propofol that his personal physician, Conrad Murray, had prescribed due to Jackson's serious sleep problems. Murray was charged in 2010 with negligent homicide. In November 2011, he was sentenced to four years in prison without parole but was released in 2013 for good behavior.
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Media spectacle
On July 7, 2009, Michael Jackson's funeral was held in the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Alongside countless famous friends, around 18,000 fans and 2,000 reporters were on hand. Nearly 1 billion people watched the service live at home. The "King of Pop" was buried in a golden coffin.
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The heirs
His children, Prince Michael I (l), Paris (r) and Prince Michael II (not pictured), inherited a fortune running into the billions. Twenty percent of his estate was willed to go to charity. Jackson donated over $300 million during his lifetime and established his own foundation called "Heal the World." His activism even earned him two Nobel Peace Prize nominations.
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Posthumous career
Two more albums by Jackson came out after his death. According to the US magazine Forbes, Michael Jackson's estate is said to have grown to about a billion dollars. But following the release of a bombshell documentary, "Leaving Neverland," in which two men allege the King of Pop sexually abused them, will fans still continue to make pilgrimages to his grave?
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From its very conception, the show "was never celebratory," added British curator Nicholas Cullinan, also present in Bonn for the opening. "It's about the complexity of Michael Jackson, how he means very different things to many very different people."
Jackson, who died in 2009, wrote pop history in so many different ways that it would be impossible to blot him out of cultural memory. "We can't rewrite history, but we can reframe it," said Cullinan.
The exhibition features 134 artworks by 53 artists, including different depictions of the pop star by prominent artists such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Isa Genzken, Yan Pei Ming, and David LaChapelle, whose triptych "America Jesus" plays on Catholic iconography.
'American Jesus: Archangel Michael: And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer,' also by LaChapelle Image: David LaChapelle
Facing the tough questions
The Jackson Estate has filed a $100 million lawsuit against HBO and has called the accusations a "posthumous character assassination" of the late singer. The estate is one of the main contributors to the exhibition, but Wolfs said the museum will not shy away from questions about abuse allegations.
The exhibition opens with a written statement reacting to the Leaving Neverland testimonies: "The accusations made by the alleged victims are shocking. We see it as our responsibility not to ignore this issue."
The documentary will air for the first time on April 6 on German television. A panel discussion will be held at the Bundeskunsthalle on the following day.
