Michael Jackson in 2004
I have to admit that I am somewhat if not quite-a-lot fascinated by Michael Jackson’s face. Every time I come across a recent photo of him, I can’t but stare and wonder what kind of psychosis has wreaked such havoc on a man’s appearance to the point he no longer looks human. And each time I gaze at the photos I am reminded of a life size 1988 sculpture of Jackson done by Artist Jeff Koon using porcelain and gold trimmings.
Jeff Koon: Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988)
Click to Enlarge
Jeff Koon said he just wanted to make a sculpture of Jackson because “If I could be one other living person, it would probably be Michael Jackson.” While others say the piece was making a statement of our idols, power and race, taking something that was once only the domain for the rich, and casting a new idol in the medium. Others said it was the creation of a “White” Michael Jackson, making us see him in a different light.
Michael Jackson in 1988
Yet some goes on “The medium is very much the message in this sculpture, as porcelain’s slick and seamless surface mimics the impenetrable public image that Jackson created for himself. Koons has created a commentary on the pop star that is at once impenetrable and inherently fragile, an icon made of clay, glazed and gilded to perfection.” (Hmm..Found that on the Sotheby’s catalogue, just before the piece went up for auction, which was sold for USD 5.6 Million in 2001)
Either way, it didn’t end up being Koon who created the “White” and “Fragile” Michael Jackson as through the subsequent years he himself followed suit. And as “impenetrable” his image once was, we have watched it crumble with the recent charges of molestation against him.
It’s disconcerting to know the first time I saw that “colorless” face of Mr. Jackson was on a sculpture and now over a decade later I need not have to wonder about the real Michael vs the porcelain Michael as they seem rather similar.
Simple comparison of “color palate”
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 
Human Stain. This post reminds me of how Coleman Silk (starred by Hopkins) is confronted by his mother when he decides to completely do away with his identity as a black man’s descendant without nosing that that will be his lifetime regret. This may bring some of us back to the question of our Chinese identity. I wrote here not long ago that each time I filled in Chinese in the “Nationality” column while travelling I felt an unspeakable sense of shame.
I just happen to be reading proses written by a prolific Chinese writer Yu Guangzhong, in which there is a paragraph he writes about that unspeakable sort of shame deeply rooted inside of him. What he writes there brings home to me why I feel that way. I hope to spare some time to translate that paragraph into English, if there is readership.
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I have a strong belief: The people do not represent their government, our governments should represent us. That i always keep in mind.
yan
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Nevin, do you think you can e-mail me that paragraph?
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I would be very interested in that paragraph Nevin. I could probably get through the Chinese version with my dictionary.
What is the name of the book?
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Oh damn it. You can send it to me and I will put it up. (Translated I won’t be able to get through it on my dictionary).
Yan
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I can’t imagine the depths of Michael Jackson’s neuroses. I at once experience pity, confusion and tragic comedy when I read, hear or see more about him.
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I always thought it was simply Koons his modus operandi. He likes to take things that are uncool, kitsch, baroque, shiny and devoid of artistic value and turn them into art. Michael Jackson (especially his ‘star’ persona, as symbolised by the presence of Bubbles, and seperated from his musical achievements) fits that perfectly.
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Hmm. I was waiting to see what you had to say! 🙂 I like where you are going with this. By the time I read the Sothesby catelogue I was starting to think, “Wank” smooth finish of his career?? Hey, they did sell it for a nearly two million more than they expected. Who can discount the hype?
Yan
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Hmm. I was waiting to see what you had to say! 🙂 I like where you are going with this. By the time I read the Sothesby catelogue I was starting to think, “Wank” smooth finish of his career?? Hey, they did sell it for a nearly two million more than they expected. Who can discount the hype?
Yan
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That was so good it deserved to responses 😛
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Yes it was so good. It had to be read twice!!!
🙂
Yan
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I have been so busy falling sick. Yan and Someone, you may find the book and the passage here:
http://www.fotolog.net/nevin/?pid=7675215
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Oops, it was Martyn who was interested in the book.
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Oh FANTASTIC. For whatever reason Koon’s sculpture has captured the imagination of some porn blogs, and they are all linking to the photo of the pix to this blog!! (luckily not to the main site) It’s not really at all suprizing because Koon was once married and has a child with the Italian Porn Star who said she would have sex with Bush 1 and Sadamn if they would stop the Gulf War 1, then ran for primeminister. However, I am pretty sure that reference is lost on them as there are no mention of it at all… just the sensibilities fit… I can’t believe those guys are using my bandwidth tho. Ergh…
Yan
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A century back, when the struggle for equality began, women constituted 50 per cent of the total population super real you must make proper steps to boost your situation.
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