Michael Jackson: On the Wall

Michael Jackson: On the Wall will come on tour to EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Autumn 2019. The exhibition consists of more than 80 artworks exploring how Michael Jackson has inspired some of the leading names in contemporary art.

The exhibition Michael Jackson: On the Wall was conceived and created by the National Portrait Gallery in London before the broadcast of the Leaving Neverland documentary. It was shown in London from June to October 2018. It then travelled to Grand Palais, Paris and is now showing at Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn. The exhibition will be organized at EMMA as planned from 20 Aug 2019 to 26 Jan 2020. We are now planning for ways to discuss questions and feelings raised by the exhibition. We want to create a forum for exchange, dialogue and critique and offer means of responding to questions and criticism.

Michael Jackson: On the Wall is an exhibition showcasing up to 90 artworks from internationally established artists who have examined Michael Jackson as a cultural phenomenon in their works. The exhibition is not biographical or celebratory, but it examines the influence Michael Jackson has had on contemporary art and culture. We are, of course, aware that it is impossible to separate the two aspects completely and to see them in isolation. Michael Jackson has always been a controversial figure. The release of the documentary has brought newly surfaced allegations to a worldwide audience. We see it as our duty to respond and to underscore the seriousness and importance of the issues raised.

All the artists included – despite coming from different generations, perspectives, and parts of the world, and employing a range of media – are fascinated by what Jackson represented and what he invented. Almost a decade after his death, Jackson’s influence has not waned: his record sales, now in excess of one billion, continue to grow; his short films are still watched; and his enormous fan base remains loyal. His impact and fame show no signs of diminishing, and the questions raised by him as a social phenomenon are more relevant now than ever.