As I predicted yesterday the art critics have started weighing in on Mohamed Al Fayed’s Michael Jackson statue.
Louisa Buck, contemporary art correspondent for The Art Newspaper
A work of art is whatever anybody says is a work of art. It’s a sculpture, it’s an art work but, to my mind, it’s almost so bad it’s almost good.
The thing is, it’s a spectacular piece of kitsch. But, as Jeff Koons has proved, in certain contexts puppy dogs and, in fact, images of Michael Jackson can become multi-million selling artworks.
But it’s all a matter of context – that ‘s the thing. One person’s kitsch is another person’s art work, but this is just quite creepy and nasty.
Fisun Guner, art critic for The Arts Desk website
I don’t know what it’s made of but it’s basically a blown-up, vaguely look-a-like doll. I’m sure you’ll be able to get a version of one in Toys R Us very soon.
It certainly looks as if his plasticky limbs were too stiff to co-ordinate properly so he’s doing a bit of a constipated, Metal Mickey dance.
When I first saw it, it made me laugh. But I expected it to look exactly as it does because, obviously, Mr Al Fayed is a man of great taste and minimalist restraint.
However, I have a strong feeling that Michael would have simply loved it.
via BBC News – Michael Jackson statue: Art critics give their verdict
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.
