The newest landmark exhibition at the national portrait gallery celebrates the coming of what would have been the king of pops 60th birthday by encompassing plethora of artists relationships with the musician through the method of portraiture. Ahead of going to the exhibition there was a sense that it very easily could have become a boring run of the mill exhibition that consisted of memorabilia loud music full of clichés that would usually make up a retrospective exhibition. Yet, the exhibition takes a very innovative turn down the path of focusing
on artists and their relationships with the musician, which may seem obvious for a gallery, but it becomes refreshing and exciting.
Regardless of whether you’re going for the artists’ work or to celebrate the icon of pop there will be something for everyone. For me going in with blind eyes as to what to expect I was engrossed by both the sheer number of artists that have explored Jackson and his life and how deeply each walk of his life had been explored, there were sections of the exhibition that touched on Jacksons huge fan base and his musicality but as this wasn’t a running theme it meant the connection and understanding for Jackson as a person was much stronger and it gave the exhibition a much more personal feeling.
Another landmark that this exhibition encompasses is Jacksons African-American heritage which gives the audience an insight to his whole life when much controversy has surrounded his heritage and life in the past. If you want an understanding of Michael Jackson as a person rather than a musician this exhibition explores the icons life through other creatives and how they portrayed him this exhibition is for you.