Michael Jackson sculpture at Premises Studios sparks ‘hate campaign’
Maria von Köhler's Michael Jackson sculpture at the Premises Studios
Hackney music studio The Premises has been on the receiving end of ‘hate mail’ after they installed a Michael Jackson sculpture.
The controversial artwork – called Madonna and Child – depicts the moment in Berlin in 2002 when the King of Pop held his baby out of a window. True to the original incident, the life-size statue leans out of the building.
Now the Premises Studios has become the target of abusive emails from Jackson fans, who say the sculpture is an insult to their hero.
One described it as: “The most outrageous sick thing that could have ever gone on in the city of London.”
Viv Broughton, Chief Executive of the Premises Studios, insisted that the artwork would not be taken down: “The sculpture recreates a moment of high drama in music history. The fans turned him into a deity and he in turn offered them his son. Lots of people have come here to view it. Most people think it’s brilliant.”
Madonna and Child by Swedish artist Maria von Köhler is now showing, twenty feet up on the side of the Premises Studios.
Read the ongoing comments being made about the artwork on The Premises Studios website.
“The sculpture recreates a moment of high drama in music history”??? Really??? How about when Michael Jackson 1st did the moonwalk on live TV? Or created and appeared in the only music video to have been selected by the US Library of Congress for preservation? How about when Michael Jackson wrote & performed “We Are The World”, which raised $60 million for African famine relief? What about when Michael Jackson received more Grammy awards in a single night than anyone in music history? Those are just a few of his REAL moments in “music history” What this horror show depicts is a weak moment, the unraveling of a man who tried to help the world only to have the for-profit media create stories about him and the gullible public believe the lies, taunting him about everything he did, didn’t do, how he looked (even though he was suffering from Vitiligo which caused his skin to lose pigment and Lupus which resulted in some of the change in his facial appearance along with reconstructive plastic surgeries after the Pepsi fire) He was tormented and accused and nearly sent to jail for crimes he was innocent of. It ruined his career and cost him most of the $$$ he had earned over a lifetime of work, entertaining the masses. This “art” represents just how cruel people can be. His son, depicted here not only lost a wonderful father he now has to grow up in a world that could embrace this kind of ugliness.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!! THIS IS NOT ART, THIS IS HATE AND UGLINESS. HAVEN’T THE CHILDREN BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH AFTER LOSING THEIR FATHER?
BTW, the only “hate campaign’ is this installation. It represents nothing BUT hate.
I agree that this is not art. This is born of the same mentality in the same place that killed Lady Diana. More sensational expose` and tabloidesque bullying that we have been served up for decades.
This is not an accurate depiction as there was no “leaning” from a building and there was a ledge below the incident.
It smacks of racism and dehumanization when a freedom fighter, civil rights activist, global humanitarian, $300 million philanthropist and peacemaker who traveled the world, met with heads of state and leaders and staged concerts for endless causes and charities is remembered in this was as a cartoon!
He is not a “hero” to his fans. He is a significant contributor to the arts of the twentieth century in music, dance, film, fashion and musicology and this is the best you could do?
You have dehumanized him and now his living child who is so cavalierly depicted in this shameful cartoon.
It’s a sad commentary and a sad day for art.
This is hilarious!
See? I rest my case. “Beauty (and art) is in the eye of the beholder.” God help us because the “beholders” here are in big trouble. Beginning with the “artist.”
Oh, and never mind; I changed my mind. This sculpture is a perfect legacy. Once again Michael Jackson holds up that mirror that he sang about and asks us to take a look at what we humans value as a race… as a culture. And once again… Brilliant!
Viv Broughton: “The sculpture recreates a moment of high drama in music history … Most people think it’s brilliant.” Wow! What else to expect from someone who allowed this hideous act of cruelty and disrespect to take place under the name of art? Just one question Mr. Broughton, what has this incident got to do with music history? There are only 3 possible answers here: You don’t know what music means; You don’t know what history means; You got no idea about both!
Just imagine how your life would have been if you lived under a public magnifying glass all your life. Imagine being stalked by cameras everywhere you go, and all the world press is sensationalizing every single thing you do. How about someone takes a photo of you with you sticking a finger inside your nose and making a “work of art” to recreate this moment of high drama? Do you really think this has got anything to do with art? Do you believe it’s human?
The artist that created this art piece should be ashamed. Why not use your God giving talent to heal and make our world a better place, like Michael Jackson did, but you rather use your God giving talent to disrespect the most loved and greatest artist of all time.
That is not art. Simple.
Michael Jackson is dead, after more than twenty years of villifying and dehumanzing him he finally died. And even in death they do not leave him alone, to you he may have been something to laugh at and mock but to three children he was just Daddy. Did you know that yesterday was Paris Jackson’s 13th birthday? It was the second birthday which she spent without her Dad, go on and laugh at that. WHy does “rest in peace” only apply to everyone else and not to him?
Art? I think not. More like dehumanization, demonization, disguised racism and blatant bullying…of a deceased person, his living son, and every single thinking person who finds this so called ‘art’ offensive.
Jackson was not ‘deified’ by anyone. He was caricaturized into someone he never was by a greedy
media and a public who bought into those lies. When
this sort of ignorant drivel ends and Jackson is recognized for his contributions in art, humanitarianism, conservatism, philanthropy and
world culture, people like me will stop pushing back against this garbage. And not before.
For christsake! Why do people get so hung up over this? So what if Jackson hung a baby over the side of a balcony? If he’d dropped it, a guy with his money could have easily replaced it.
I agree with Zebra Hunter, god knows he paid off enough families to settle out of court so could easily have bought another one.
My god that’s creepy.
That’s much better than the one Al-Fayed’s unveiled in another part of London. It shows the whole Jackson story as the grotesque spectacle it became.
And to the commenter above, “caracaturized” isn’t a word.
@Hubba Baloo, you are completely ignorant if you continue to believe those lies. Michael Jackson never “paid off” any families. His insurance company did, against his wishes. It was a business decision made by them in consultation with his record company. They wanted to minimize the damage that these false allegations would cause and the time Jackson would have to expend fighting them in court. They wanted him out touring, promoting the latest album, making them $$$. The Chandler’s could have pursued a civil case had they wanted to. They didn’t because they got what they were interested in MONEY.
@Zebrahunter & @Hubba Baloo
Ever thought about ‘thinking’ for a change? What a hideous little prison of a mind you both live in.
The premises and the so-called artist who hasn’t exhibited since 2008 are doing this for eyeballs. Nothing more, nothing less.They couldn’t give a crap about how Jackson’s children would feel or anyone else so long as they draw visits.
Jackson’s legacy also far exceeds this artist’s vision of him — and she knows it. Which is why she is using Jackson’s coat-tails to ride a a little piece of infamy.
Neither if you clearly know nothing about the facts of 1993 and 2005 if you can make statements like the ones you have just made.
Jackson paid off no-one.
If you don’t know the facts, be quiet. Jackson’s children quite clearly loved their father and they him. Why do you two, in your infinite wisdom have a problem with that?
This event was made dramatic by the media, and the media tried to make MJ look crazy, as they’ve always tried to do. If you know Michael Jackson, you know that he was not weird! In fact, he was quite the opposite. He was sweet, kind, and very smart.
On this day, Michael was showing his son to the world, as a proud father! Like kings, (and men) do! What is so weird about that?
He covered his son’s face, because although he wanted to share his son with his fans, he knew that because of who he was, people could and would try to get to his children, if they knew what his children looked like. That is so sad, and very smart of Michael.
I for one, am sick of MJ hate. Everyone who thinks he’s weird is wrong. I guarantee it. This art is disrespectful, and based on another media sensationalized event; a lie. Michael was even embarrassed that the media made this out to be something that it wasn’t. And also, the media frequently slowed down the video of this, to make it look like he was dangling his child. If you watch the original footage, you will see how well Michael was holding on to his son, and how quick he showed him to the world.
Can you all please just leave Michael alone, if all you’re going to do is joke and make fun of him? Enough is enough.
On their website — “The Premises has been the capital’s most popular music studio complex for twenty five years. ..”
Perhaps musicians who truly understand important historical moments in music will boycott the premises and lead it to becoming The Vacant Premises.
ABC and other media finally posted articles that were positive regarding The Legacy of Michael Jackson this past week. What is the true legacy of Michael? – His children continuing his charitable life mission. What is the historical musical imprint of Michael in the minds of most of the world? He took his God granted gifts of talent parlayed them into a spiritual connection with the world. He dedicated his life and record breaking amounts of money to alleviate the suffering of mankind across the globe and his children have picked up his philanthropic baton and are running with it.
THAT is his legend.. THAT is his true legacy.
Did Jacko’s nose really fall off?
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this… Is Michael Jackson still being ridiculed, even in death? When the man meant so much to the music industry, to dance, to videos as we know them today. Let’s not forget all his humanitarian efforts, what he’s done for the world and the people in it. And this is how he is repaid… This is how you choose to depict and remember him… It truly saddens me to the core. Pls remember he is also the father of 3 beautiful children.
Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, a true legend. His legacy should be protected. For his children and generations to come.
This is not art. And no, “most people” do not think it’s brilliant.
If you want to to ‘recreate a moment of high drama in music history’, Jackson has broken more artistic records and opened more doors for those who followed him than any other artist in history. Why not highlight that? Or, his extensive humanitarian work?
The music videos of African American artists weren’t played on MTV until Michael Jackson broke the barrier there. His Thriller album sold more copies than any other in history. Ever.
He donated over $300 million to over 39 charities in his lifetime and those are just the donations we know about. He’s saved countless lives during his own short life. Yes as another commenter here said, how about the first moment he unveiled the “moonwalk”? The man was a musical genius.
And yet THIS is what you choose to highlight about him and further to describe it as ‘ a moment of high drama in music history’? Pray tell, to WHOM?
What it is … is one of too many moments where this man was denigrated, ganged up on, mocked, made a negative caricature of, bullied, lied and gossiped about, and continually abused by the media, regardless of what the facts about him are. And you are only perpetuating this abuse…this mob mentality, this public LYNCHING.
It’s not art. It’s a shame. And it’s not brilliant. It’s indicative of the mentality of a pack of rabid wolves knawing what flesh is left off a beloved man’s dead body – his legacy. You can no longer caricaturize him so you choose now to denigrate his memory in this abhorrent fashion.
I’ll say it again. It’s not art. It’s a shame.
The reason why Michael has been tormented all his life is because of sickening distortion of his image. I am sure he is far happier where he is now he wouldn’t even want to come back here.
What astonishes me is how people continue to vilify Michael Jackson and the incredible legacy that he left behind, and choosing to perpetuate ignorance about him. It is unbelievable to think that people continue to still believe that he sexually harmed any children when the Santa Barbara District Attorney and the FBI spent millions of taxpayer dollars and investigated him for over 10 years and found absolutely no evidence that he harmed anyone. The utter laziness of people to believe what they read rather then dig deeper into learning the facts about what goes on in the world bespeaks of their disregard for the truth. Michael Jackson always said that “Lies run sprints but the truth runs marathons.” Since his death, the testimonials of his children and the many people (both celebrities and every day citizens all over the world) who have come out describing his incredible gifts of generosity, time and his art will live forever. Its despicable that “artist” such as the one who created this non-art choose to create to the lowest common denominator rather then challenge themselves to create something truly inspiring and representative of the profound legacy Michael Jackson left to the world. RIP KIng Of Pop. I love you MIchael.
THIS IS DISGUSTING.
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. THIS IS NOT “ART”!!!!
I AM ASHAMED OF HUMANITY THANKS TO YOU IGNORANT, DISGUSTING, PATHETIC CREATURE THAT HAVE CREATED THIS SCULPTURE.
LET THE MAN REST IN PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As an artist, I choose to create my artwork of Michael Jackson to express my tribute and love, and because he loves art himself and has inspired me so much. But this particular one here definitely is going to make him very sad.
Art? I think not. Opportunism. The artist could not make it with art of its own merit so choose instead to get notoriety by creating sensationalism of a grossly exaggerated event in a cruelly mistreated now deceased person’s life. Total exploitation.
This is amazing – love it.
Didn’t know there were so many Jackson nutters in Hackney.
What a great piece of art – hope he turns in his grave.
Michael Jackson was never a deity… he was an innovator, a musician and dancer with a vast myriad of talents, a humanitarian par exellence, an entrepreneur and of all things a father! I live near Los Angeles by the way of the UK, and yesterday visited Forest Lawn where he now lies in a cold marble tomb… yesterday was his daughter’s birthday. His children are now about to experience the second anniversary of their father’s death. THIS is how you and your so called artist friend choose to depict his life?!? Shameful!
One last thing, you have probably figured out by now that it is NEVER smart to piss off MJ fans… no they do not worship him as a deity or god like figure, but they have had enough of watching him being defiled and ridiculed in the media and court of public opinion! If you were expecting some attention and publicity from this stunt, you got it….. the likes of which you will never have seen before. Good luck!
Michael jackson was talentless – Quincy jones made him
Hack-ney Music Studios?? Never heard of them.. it’s funny how these pieces of shit will use the King of Music’s image to try and garner 15 minutes of fame. Then ya wonder why Americans mock foreigners. HAHA
As for talent, Quincy called and said you can have the Spice Girls back LMAO
Long Live the KING… a BILLION records and still MOONWALKING…
whoever made this piece of junk has serious mental issues.
With all respect, this is disgraceful and not worthy of the title “art.” The incident in Berlin, where Mr. Jackson, very briefly, showed a large, chanting crowd of fans his new child was blown out of all context and proportion by a media, who, through biased and bigoted reporting, constantly fed the character assassination of this poor man for over 20 years. It is clear to me, and many others, that Mr.Jackson held his son firmly to his chest, in an incident which lasted approximately 2 seconds. How tragic people should feel the need to rip a man apart for what was such a brief gesture of goodwill to his fans. Michael was not crazy, or bizarre. He was a kind, loving, gentle man who spent his whole life selflessly giving to others. Whilst some may deem this incident a mistake I am yet to meet, or read about, the “perfect parent,” who has not made one mistake or error in raising their child. For instance, how many parents leave their child unattended in a car while they fetch something or run a quick errand? How many throw their children into the air and catch them? There is an element of risk inherent in all such activities. However, if a mistake was made, would you deem those parents insane or bizarre? No. Making a mistake would make them fallible, and thus human. Mr,Jackson, in fact, touched, poignantly on such a point in his Oxford speech in which he stated: “…I am a father myself, and one day I was thinking about my own children…and how I wanted them to think of me. To be sure, I would like them to remember how I always wanted them with me wherever I went, how I always tried to put them before everything else. But there are also challenges in their lives. Because my kids are stalked by paparazzi, they can’t always go to a park or a movie with me. So what if they grow older and resent me, and how my choices impacted their youth? Why weren’t we given an average childhood like all the other kids, they might ask? And at that moment I pray that my children will give me the benefit of the doubt. That they will say to themselves: “Our daddy did the best he could, given the unique circumstances that he faced. He may not have been perfect, but he was a warm and decent man, who tried to give us all the love in the world.” As David Nordhal, a close, intimate friend of Mr. Jackson’s for 20 years, stated in a recent interview conducted by Deborah Kunesh on the “Reflections on the Dance” website, “He was an absolutely fabulous father. I’ve never met a parent that is as good or better than Michael.”
This comment was removed following a complaint.
Once again, Michael is being villified.This is not art, but another form of abuse to a man whose name was dragged through the mud countless times over and over. After the FBI spent millions of taxpayer dollars trying to find something on him, they could not. Even Tom Sneddon, who did the same, spending taxpayer dollars, traveling the world looking for someone to say that he did something wrong, could find no one.
To those who have never taken the time to read the truth, Michael’s insurers paid the settlement against his wishes to his accusers, because they didn’t want the expense of a trial.
Michael’s music will live on for generations to come. His true legacy are his children. For someone to continue to bring shame on a person who is no longer here to defend himself is really sad and disrepectful to that memory.
Everybody wins right?
Maria Kohler’s exceptionally bad and tacky ‘art’ gets people gawking, and the musos and drifters who hang out at the Premises, get something to talk about other than who played fretless bass best, while take tabs in the cafeteria.
But this ‘story’ represents more than that. It represents the latest in a long line of dehumanizing moments for Michael Jackson, by and in, the media.
If, as Broughton self-justifies this really was a ‘high drama’ moment in musical history — then this depiction by Kohler surely stands as the lowest in pure art. Dehumanizing someone to the point where it is no longer considered bad form to laugh at them, even after they are no longer alive — is not art. It’s vulturism.
But this kind of BS is as old as humanity. It’s exact equivalents are the Roman coliseums of long ago and the stonings of alleged adulterous women in some parts of the Islamic world. We are appalled by those people, but modern media and those who continue to feed the myth of Jackson as some sort of cultural monster — are no better.
Of of all the amazing, pictures of Michael Jackson, helping children, overseeing supplies to help children in Sarejevo, visitiing children in hospitals — the list goes on — this is the moment some cheap little pop culture ghoul chooses to raid. And of course, the popular press just loves it.
Like I said, everybody wins right?
http://bit.ly/gE6aKE
This is what happens when you cross a cult! I imagine a similar response from scientologists if one failed to deify L Ron and is exactly the reason why this is such an important piece of art. I love it!!!
It’s an Outrage!!!!
I got a bad feel ’bout dis
@Simon
I’m so glad laughing at a dead father-of-three amuses you. Strange how those who call others freaks or cultish are themselves in need of a spiritual overhaul isn’t it?
To Maria von Köhler: What a waste of time and money and attention and energy. What was your motivation to do this? It isn’t artistic. It has no important message. This piece of “art” doesn’t say anything about Mr. Jackson, but it says a lot about you and it says a lot about the media and about people who love sensationalism.
It’s just another bashing of an artist that had to endure things like that all his life. Michael Jackson was a great artist, he was a great humanitarian, he was a great human being. Generations and generations will remember him for his talent and humanitarian efforts. His children love him from the bottom of their hearts, even his critics had to admit that these three children are gorgeous and that he must have been a great and loving father who raised his kids very well.
Michael himself said that perhaps he did not make a good choice that time…but he also said that he would never endanger his son’s life, because he kept him strongly!!!! and it was only about few seconds and not so long as media showed!!!!!
Even now that Michael is not here anymore to defend himself, what does this mean? Is this a piece of art? Really? I don’t think so…the only thing I understand watching this garbage is that people wants to make money out of Michael’s name!!!! Even now that he’s gone!!!!!!!!!!! This is really unacceptable!!!!!! This is really disrespectful!!!!!!!! People like this should only be ashamed just watching themselves in the mirror!!!!!!!!!! We are sick of all this garbage!!! Michael deserves to be loved and respected, just like he did all his lifetime, even with all the liars and the greedy people who haunted him like a dog!!!!
“1.The sculpture recreates a moment of high drama in music history. 2.The fans turned him into a deity and he in turn offered them his son. 3. Lots of people have come here to view it. Most people think it’s brilliant.”
Let’s be accurate. Point 1: The MEDIA made the baby-dangling a moment of high drama. In fact the tabloids extended the moment into a highly profitable, long-running melodrama on constant replay without intermissions. Michael Jackson later regretted that his action caused alarm, although the child was firmly held by him and in no danger of falling. Caught up in a father’s joy and wanting the fans to see his baby, Jackson was forever labeled an unfit father. And now, a pop sculpture further immortalizes the moment to support the Wacko Jacko brand – always good for more gold coins. Point 2: Fans did not deify Jackson. They bought his music, attended his concerts, welcomed him worldwide, supported him through trial and triumph, embraced his message, wrote letters and mushy love notes, sent teddy bears, cheered mightily, and wept at his death. That’s what fans do! There’s a smear campaign afoot now to redefine and recast Michael Jackson fans as a Borg-like collective that think alike, act alike and look alike. No so. In fact his fans, supporters, admirers and advocates are generously represented in all demographics — age, race, ethnicity, belief, occupation, language, economics, lifestyle, sexual orientation, politics, and education. Actually, Jackson’s great legacy may just be that his art transcended labels, leapt fences, dissolved barriers, opened eyes, softened hearts, and joined hands to do the world’s hard work. Point 3: Art is subjective and there’s no accounting for taste.
@Judith, your comment is so brilliant, if I may…..:
Viv Broughton said:
“The sculpture recreates a moment of high drama in music history. The fans turned [him] into a deity and he in turn offered them his son. Lots of people have come here to view it. Most people think it’s brilliant.”
Really? Let’s be accurate shall we. I have put these in point form:
1:
The media made the baby-dangling moment an incident of high drama. In fact the tabloids extended the moment into a highly profitable long-running melodrama. Constant replay with no intermissions.
2:
Jackson later regretted that his action caused alarm although the child was firmly held by him and in no danger of falling. Caught up in a father’s joy and wanting the fans to see his baby, Jackson was forever labeled an unfit father. Now a pop sculpture further immortalizes the moment to support the ‘Wacko Jacko’ brand – always good for more gold coins eh?
3:
Fans did not ‘deify’ Jackson. They bought his music, attended his concerts, welcomed him worldwide, supported him through trial and triumph, embraced his message……..cheered mightily and wept at his death. That’s what fans do — whether they’re into Morissey or Meatloaf.
4:
There is a very real smear campaign afoot that aims to redefine and recast Michael Jackson fans as a Borg-like collective that think alike, act alike and look alike. Not so.
In fact Jackson’s fans, supporters, and other people who were not fans but happen to think that how Jackson was treated speaks to the core issues that threaten our species — are in fact generously represented in all demographics: age, race, ethnicity, belief, occupation, language, economics, lifestyle, sexual orientation, politics, and education.
So finally:
Jackson’s great legacy may just be that his art transcended labels, dissolved barriers, opened eyes, softened hearts, and joined millions of hands to do the world’s hard work.
— Now that’s art!
Wow.
I totally agree with everything Blighty and Judith said.
I’ll add this, this isn’t art — it’s just crap.
So why do the fans get so excited about the squeaky voiced little perv? Get a life! If you do not like the statue, do not look at it. Fortunately this is free country so respect other people’s right do make art which you are perfectly entitled to dislike.
Jog on Alan.
And for the record I am not a fan.
If you can’t see that calling a mock-up of someone who is now dead and survived by three children, ‘art,’ just to make a buck is wrong — then you’re a moron.
And further, if you can’t see that the media’s 20 year perpetuation of a self-serving, degrading myth ate away at Jackson’s sense of self and contributed to his death — then you’re also a brutalist.
Your choice Sir.
To the question of whether this is art or not, my answer would be a definite ‘yes’. Does this mean I like it – “Hell No!” but the varied and mostly lively conversation this piece has invoked is testimony to the fact that it is thought provoking…And I think that is what most artists stive to do…
‘Karen’ or is it Maria?
What defines art?
The Sistine chapel? Van Gogh? Monet, a ballet, a mother creating a meal out of nothing to feed her children, a poem written for the sake of love alone, a sunset over a decaying city etc
These and a host of others throughout the ages are art in all its myriad forms.
But what isn’t it is this:
When so-called artists, Hoxton refugees and their ilk call their rotten ‘tents as art,’ scrap installations, art — when the truth is more often than not that they are utter garbage.
If ‘lively conversations’ is the criteria determining that a thing is art — I’ll know what to call the next road rage incident I see then.
Moral of the story? Not everything is art.
Kohler put this piece together for sheckles. Nothing more. She sold her ‘art’ for a fee and does it on the back of a dead man. And I can assure her, the shame of that will last longer than the artistic benefits of the tripe she offers here.
But is it art? Ah, yes, the fine art of sneering in a museum of uncompromising twaddle. Usually, a criticism of representational art coming from the modernist camp includes at least a pretence at an argument, or some kind of implied standard, such as newness for its own sake, or shock value—which, however wrong it may be, at least acknowledges the human need of standards in the judgment of art.
Sculptors make a name for themselves by sculpting, and what an artist knows about sculpting is readily discernible by looking at her sculptures. Not so in the case of Maria von Köhler’s Michael Jackson figure, which has nothing going for it except that it’s a depiction of an internationally beloved icon in his moment of poor judgment. Otherwise, the response would be “Maria who?”
“Brilliant!” claims Viv Broughton. Intimidation is a common weapon among so-called modernists, those untalented noobs who think anything they deign to create is “art”—especially if they can demean someone, living or dead, in the process.
What a silly Art. Shame on you.
Nothing to be displayed!
This is pathetic.
Christ on a bike, the Jacko Wackos have invaded Hackney. Still, makes a change from the hipsters I guess…
*goes off to gaze lovingly at Franklin Mint Lady Di memorial crockery*
Lol…that was so funny when i dangled that kid of mine out the window. I was lol’ing for days
I love my fans, thank you for letting my music and wandering hands touch them all in a very special way
Doing a special gig in the premises on Friday, free jesus juice to all under 18’s
MJ
@20got010/MichaelJackson’sG
As opposed to invaded by vacuous, naive, consumers of media, who believe everything they read, and are stupid enough to call this obscenity
art?
Just checking.
Actually Jacko was holding a doll, not his child. It was a doll with a mask with the photo of a politician on it. The politician got angry and the press told to all the world that Jacko was crazy and was holding his baby out of the window but he wasn’t. Most people don’t know this.
That’s so right Brittany, thank you for standing up for me. I feel like Mugabi, vilified for looking after my fans.
Come to my show on Friday, extra jesus juice for you
Who cares what he was holding?
This mockery reveals everything that’s sorry-assed about this country. Weak-minded, idiotic, opinionated fools who can’t see that in mocking a dead man who did more to positively help children than anyone on this page — they demean themselves.
The moronic poster above me should be ashamed of himself, but you won’t be because that requires
a mind.
Jackson apologized for a three second moment.
But that wasn’t enough was it? No, the media and sick twats like MJG’s made a world incident out of it.
Wonder if MJG’s would protest this much about something that really matters, like peace, famine or war?
Thought so.
“I’m forever blowing bubbles…”
We, a group of 804 German people, think this is very disrespectful to Michael Jackson as well as to his children! This moment of his life was shown repeatedly by the media and caused enough harm and pain to him! It is time to stop this kind of defamation…why are people always focusing on this incident? There are so many events and moments of his life that are really worth to be retained in a statue or an artwork…
Why didn’t Maria von Köhler try to honor his credits, his achievements as an artist, his charity work or his warmhearted, caring relationship to children? Why is she disgracing him?
Why are THE PREMISES using him for their own benefit and why in this shameful manner? This has nothing to do with “music history”. This is part of the most shameful defamation ever made by the media and should not be presented again and again!
Why not a statue of Tony Wilson instead? He did far more for British music, and died the same year as Jackson, with a tiny fraction of the column inches in the press.
Seriously, the sheer volume of very heated posts to this thread is beyond me: is there nothing more worthy of comment happening in Hackney right now? Get a grip, people!
let’s not preach about ‘selling her art’, (pepsi anyone?). racism? puh-lease, get a grip.
WillaB, is that a threat?! pipe down son.
whether this is good art or bad art is the debate. i’m sorry for the ‘fans’ out there… it IS art. get another artist to paint mj on a rainbow unicorn on a cloud of cherub love over a pepsi lake of leaping moondust dolpins to counteract this evil, wave the painting at the sculpture and we’ll see the mushroom cloud grow above the crater where the premises once stood. (let me know though, i’ll bring my camera).
@amused
What???
Eurotrash money-whoring gimmick, by a Eurotrash “artist”, being pimped to the incredibly stupid Eurotrash crowd. Why am I not surprised? *Snore*
Excellent sculpture, methinks, but who is this Michael Jackson chap they’re all ranting about?
Just goes to prove, call something ‘art’ and people will let you palm anything off on them.
Of all the moments in Michael’s life why did the so called “artist” choose this controversial moment and made a sculpture of it?
There was nothing wrong with this incident. Michael was just presenting his baby to his fans as they were asking to see him. The journalists took advantage of this moment and made a whole fuss as they usually do. They create stories out of nowhere just to sell papers.
Now comes that Maria etc. (does anybody really know who she is?) and she decides to make this sculpture in order to draw some attention. I cannot find any other logical reason to explain her choice. Apparently she wants to be famous and she chose the worst way. A piece of tabloid art. I don’t know if I must be sorry for her or get angry with her.
*tumbleweed*
I was aware that in our days many times we lose the sense of what art really means!!! Now, I am positively sure about it!!! THIS IS NOT ART, the creator of this junk-piece should really have taken some lessons from Michael so as to know what art is, to find the real reason of feeling the need to create, the real cause of leaving your art work for the humanity… in order to spread love, peace, courage, love for life,healing the pain while you can lift the heart and the spirit in a upper level!!! HE ALWAYS HAD THOSE THINGS IN MIND WHEN HE CREATED!!! so simple, so unique, so genuine!!!
Say whatever you want, do whatever you want! You want to laugh at him? Do it! He will still be the creator of the music you are selling us and the greatest ARTIST of this century and the centuries to come! HE will always be the king of pop and he will alway be the target of your cheap irony because that is how far you can go! It is easy fo everyone to play judge and laugh at a persons acts, stand still and comment on somebody’s life but it is hard to create like HE did, it hard to love like HE did, it is hard to forgive like HE did and is hard to try to understand like HE did. If you want to say something then start creating music again because today face it, you have nothing close to a good artist, not even close! so until the day when a person will be able to create music, think music, sing, dance, perform, direct, act, and promote as perfectly as he did, until the day that a person so talented that will create a new kind of music and will enslave half of the planet and more with his music, arrives HE will be one of the greatest ARTISTS OF ALL TIMES and YOU cannot change that even if you create another million of these cheap statues filled with hatred! I do not care how much you hate the way he lived and the things he did if you were people with dignity and respect people with knowledge you should respect his legacy! After all the only thing that is yours to judge is his art…HIS art belongs to the audience his LIFE belongs to HIM and the people that HE wants to share it! So shame on you. selfish people with no heart and no respect! he has a family, a big one! stop hurting them! And in the end find me the perfect amongst you that is in place to judge ANY human on this world! Arrogant people….
Well, well, well some of you people here are so intelligent that you make fun of a man you don’t know, you have never seen or talked to and most importantly you were never interested in apart from the tabloid shit published about him throughout the years. Get a life and stop commenting on him. We as fans have the right to support him everywhere against all odds because he is a part of our lives. Tell me if any of you has a child…have you never thrown your baby up in the air when you hold it in your arms? If any other artist had tangled the baby out of the balcony the media wouldn’t have made such a drama out of it. But it’s Michael Jackson right? Let’s ridicule him, humiliate him, accuse him because we get satisfaction by seeing him suffer! Look at your own image in the mirror and then judge a father’s parental skills.
As for the person who has created this freaky thing I can just say that her art belongs to the mental institution because it’s clear that she is not in a sane state of mind. Keep on hating, keep on humiliating Michael will always be here even after we are gone from this world.
Shame is the least I can say!
I don’t live in Hackney and I only found you because of this cartoon but I have to say that I hope your taxes haven’t been wasted on this ‘art’. It’s worse than that thing Al Fayed has put up outside Fulham’s stadium.
Some of you people never cease to amaze me. Grand sensationalism at it’s best. Cute head-liner: “Madonna and Child by Swedish artist Maria von Köhler incurs the wrath of fans of the King of Pop”.
I wonder what other reaction you predicted. You taunt the fans with this genus of “Junk” which is nothing short of “Defamation of Michael’s Legacy” and then accuse them of initiating a “Hate Campaign”. Be assured that you knew, well in advance, how the fans would react while this piece of nonsense was being fingered. I call it fingered because it’s not art. It’s just another get rich scheme using Michael Jackson as the platform and another endeavor to make his fans seem as if we are the bad guys. I beg to differ with this article. This was a deliberate act of “Promoting Hate” against Michael; his family, his friends and his fans. In fact, the hatred is directed more-so toward the Jackson family than the fans. The artist along with the studio knew how fans would react and showed strapping disrespect for Michael’s children, parents and siblings. Maria von Köhler, you should be ashamed of yourself. I know you can’t desire prestige or fame at this expense. This won’t get it for you.
Just remember you started this fire; so don’t blame the fans for adding fuel to it. Michael Jackson deserves better than this. He admitted it was a mistake; why use it to stir up more strife by trying to make him look bad. He’s not here anymore to endure the exploitation of your money making scheme or to defend himself. His family won’t say anything because they are peaceful people.
One other thing, I think you people forgot that the fans aren’t afraid to speak out. We’re not celebrities who are fearful of being black-balled from the entertainment industry and we are definitely use to being called horrible names. I would re-think the idea about bringing this exhibit to LA. Not a good idea. I’m a peaceful person; can’t make any promises for others. God bless you lady. I think you and whoever else plan to sat this piece of rubbish up for display are going to need Him. Good LUCK.
Calm down, dear: it’s just a statue! 😀
Wow! Dont upset the Jackson crowd or they will never let you forget it and for them if they dont like something it isn’t Art? What an easy way to define! and post No’60 804 Germans who share name Anna-Sofia? Incredible! Well done Maria Von Kohler and treh Premise for bringing forth the voices of these fascinating- if rather scary at times -people!
This is absolutely hilarious, it brightens up my walk home every night.
All the MJ lovers are outraged? Really?
Come on, it’s a parody of the stupidity of a man who let’s not forget held his baby “Blanket” wrapped in a blanket above a balcony, a real clever thing to do.
If he had dropped the baby then putting this sculpture up would have been wrong but it is merely a moment in history to look back on and chuckle at.
Get a grip everybody and have a giggle as you walk past it.
Chamone.
There’s something really pathetic about the kind of person who lives vicariously through a dead pop star, particularly one who – let’s face it – produced nothing of note after the eighties. And just look how easy it is to yank certain people’s chains…
I think he would have liked it. The artist has made him look better looking than he actually was too. It’s not as good as the statue by Fulhams ground though it has to be said. On the other hand, at least Fulham didnt pay £50 million for their statue like Chelsea
This is art is it????? … I feel sorry for poor Blanket that will get ridiculed and made fun of because of YOU you moron. Why dont you leave MJ alone this happened years ago get over it.. As usual the press made it bigger than what is was and the SHEEP always believe everything they hear and see… Do the decent thing and get rid of this trash.
I totally agree with Amber and Blighty. This man lived his life in a goldfish bowl, did nothing but good for the world. How would any of you haters like to have every movement you made criticized by the entire world??? The man was a musical genius, great humanitarian and knowledgeable evironmentalist who donated over $500 million to charity in his lifetime. Wait until you bring that disgusting thing to LA and you will see “Whazzzup wid you!!!! If i lived in LA, i would be the first one with a large sign protesting.
I liike very much the Michael Jacksons, his muzik make me smile and make me wanna dance.
I remember to be in Berlin when he put the blanket over the balcony and I was scared for the child but I also remember when he moonwalk and I could not believe my eyes.
I dont’ liike this scuplture – we must take down.
It’s a disgrace. Next time I walk past it on my way home, i’m going to pull my fat revolver out and fire off a few rounds at it.
And i’m telling you, it wont be friendly fire
ENOUGH OF THIS STUPIDITY. I got fed up, WE ARE SICK.
Disgusting “Artist ” SHIT, KEEP OTHER PEOPLE fucking.
IF YOU DO NOT RESPECT WHEN MICHAEL WAS ALIVE, WILL HAVE TO RESPECT THAT IS NOW DEAD.
Sons of bitches, bastards !!!!!!!!!!
Maria Von Köller ARTIST OF SHIT, GO TO MAKE A SCULPTURE OF YOU IN THE BATHROOM. RAT
This comment was removed following a complaint.
Wacko once landed a Helicopter in Haggerston Park to visit kids in the Childrens Hospital on Hackney Road. Dodgy or what
Maria, you’re talented. Don’t waste your talent in such a cruelty. Michael nor his children deserve, too.
Maria, you’re talented. Don’t waste your talent in such a cruelty. Neither Michael nor his children deserve it, too.
It would be wise from you to decide to remove the statue .
REMOVE THE STATUE…… THAT IS SIMPLY AN OFFENSE TO A MAN WHOM WAS A GREAT ARTIST,AND BEST FATHER………………PLEASE,LET HIM REST IN PEACE…………..HE LOVES THE CHILDREN MORE THAN HIS LIFE……….HE NEVER HURTS ONE……
please do not do more harm to MJ respect to his family and fans. remove this for the memory of MJ should be remembered for what he did fine. and all the love you gave us.
Por favor retiren esta estatua… es horrible, es un falta de respeto con Michael Jackson…. Ademas el era un hombre q amaba y cuidaba de sus hijos, el jamas atentaria contra ellos.. Gracias x atenderme….
please remove the statue so horrible
michael at all would do this …..
REMOVE THE STATUE…… THAT IS SIMPLY AN OFFENSE TO A MAN WHOM WAS A GREAT ARTIST,AND BEST FATHER………………PLEASE,LET HIM REST IN PEACE…………..HE LOVES THE CHILDREN MORE THAN HIS LIFE……….HE NEVER HURTS ONE……
YOU Maria von Kohler is a hood rat, asshole, shameless, ridiculous, WITHOUT CULTURE AND WITHOUT HEART.
How dare INVENT THIS NONSENSE ABOUT MCHAEL ????????????????????????? MAKING A STATUE AND TELLING LIES.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, IGNORANT, THE MICHAEL WAS JUST SHOWING YOUR BABY FOR YOUR FAS.
AND YOU DO NOT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
CRETIN scoundrel, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO INVENT LIES ABOUT PEOPLE AND STILL profit.
You have no heart.
YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS THERE, LESS Peple rascal.
YOU ARE A TRUE UNHAPPY THAT LIFE IS TO BE USELESS IF THERE BY INVENTING LIES SO TO SHOW UP AND HAVE THE 15 MINUTES OF FAME. You are ridiculous!
STOP
OF INJUSTICE WITH MICHAEL.
RESPECT.
MICHAEL DESERVES ALL THE RESPECT OF THE UNIVERSE. AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE, ON extraordinary human being who HE IS. ON YOUR WORKS OF ART, ITS humanitarian work …
RESPECT FOR MICHAEL!THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR FAS
porfavor quiten esa estatua es una falta del respeto hacia michael jackson les recuerdo EL ES EL REY DEL POP Y SIEMPRE LO SERA. y el no se merese esto siempre sevan hacia es mas inocente porfavor no compliquen mas las cosas!!
enseñense a respetar al REY!!
porque no ponen una estatua donde diga cuantas obras humanitarias hizo ????…y la cantidad de dinero que dono para tanta gente enferma ????, ésta estatua es una total falta de respeto para alguien que en vida le dió tantas cosas buenas al mundo !!!!!
What’s up with that *points up at last few posts*? Has the Latin American branch of the Jacko Mentalists just found out about the story? Arriba!
DO U KNOW THE MEANING OF ” RESPECT” ???!!! OMG!!!!! PLZ STOP THIS BS!!! Michael is already dead!!!! what more do u need??? WHEN ALL U BASTARD WILL STOP MAKING FUN WITH HIS MEMORY!!??? PLease, LEAVE HIM ALONE! Leave him REST IN PEACE FOR ONCE!!!!!
You don’t have to be a Jackson fan — and I am not — to know that Michael Jackson was consistently attacked by the media long before he had the misfortune to meet the extortionists and thieves who littered his tortured life.
Personally, I have never seen someone so unfairly and treated in my lifetime — and unjustly come that. There is so much information available to those who seek to know the truth about the realities behind the legal challenges Jackson endured while he lived.
Many people would still rather believe Jackson is the monster that the media since 1993, has been insisting Jackson is. The tragedy, that if that same media had reported all the facts instead of perpetuating baseless assumptions, many people would be a completely different interpretation of the man — is a very real one.
Here’s a recap:
In 1993, Jackson was never charged with a crime. He settled a civil case, NOT a criminal case in which liability was admitted to no wrong doing.
Two grand juries refused to indict him as there was no evidence to support it one gig ahead. The father of the then boy concerned asked Jackson for money long before he went to the police, and he only did this once Jackson refused to pay?
The question needs to be asked — what kind of parents do that? If Jackson was guilty, he would have just paid them rather than be publicly humiliated the way he was.
It would therefore be completely inaccurate to conclude that this settlement was paid by an insurance company as some sort of ” hush money” — which is what it has been portrayed as for the last 18 years by the popular press. How do you “hush” something that everyone already knows about?
Crucially, the settlement did NOT preclude the family from going forward with criminal charges. Yet they did not. Why?
Because they got what they wanted.
in addition, the DA’s at the time (there were two) couldn’t go forward anyway. There was no evidence that substantiated guilt on Jackson’s part — contrary to all the nonsense about ‘matching descriptions’ — leaked by paid informants within the LAPD and Santa Barbara police departments at the time.
in reality, the photographs did not match, a fact verified by independent, objective reports carried in USA Today and Reuters at the time.
Fast forward 12 years from 1993 during which period one of the same DA’s, Thomas Sneddon did all he could to build a case against Jackson — to 2004/5. This was when Sneddon launched an entirely malicious prosecution based only on the word of a family of grifters and proven liars.
14 emphatic not guilty verdicts later and in less than 5 years Jackson would be dead. And today, the majority of the world still holds a wholly incorrectly assumption that Jackson was guilty of abhorrent crimes against children.
This potted history above [and which can be found in excruciating detail in a multitude of serious sources], is in essence why there is little protest about this monstrosity in Hackney.
And ironically it is the very reason why Kohler now courts controversy and fame with her piece. The desire for money brought Michael Jackson down — and it is this same desire that now motivates this mercenary mock-up in Hackney.
It is nothing short of disgraceful that Jackson’s memory and his surviving children continue to be abused by selective interpretations of his life that reflect a bias artificially arrived at.
I was late for work the other day and I was walking to work and I looked up and saw the statue at the premises. I thought it was hilarious. The rest of my walk to work consisted of me giggling uncontrollably!
We’re all very pleased for you marilyn.
Child.
So, Michael Jackson’s rabid fans thought nothing of the real man danging a real baby over a balcony. But they see blood when a fake man dangling a fake baby is put on display. Extreme fan worship IS scary. That three seconds could have cost Prince Michaell II his life. There is no justification for what he did. By the types of posts his rabid fans of written, the statue truly does make a statement about rabid fan worship.
I never fail to stand amazed at people who blindly worship celebrities.
Lots of knees jerking in time to one another, but not exactly a thriller…
This is tasteless and shows the ignorance of those who have put it.
This is unbelievable. They do not know who invented it to make money. Simpre all about money and fame. Left alone with Michael Jackson. Idols that change people’s lives will never be forgotten. Michael Jackson forever
Stop the hate on Michael Jackson!
I’s all for love… he loves children, please stop laughing on him… PLEASE!
Is this art? And how should it be categorized?
I did a little searching, as I contemplated it. At first I ran into multiple postings, which then led me over to YouTube for some movie watching, and back to other postings. Pretty soon, I arrived at some rather violent, hideous stuff that appeared to be keyword related. When all this got me to the movies of Jews at Auchwitz, I quit.
And all after Googling – Maria von Köhler. I soon realized that this is all part of humanity, this dehumanizing of a person – who didn’t matter to the artist, but who mattered to others.
In conclusion…somebody needed their art to be noticed, and of course, what better way to get that done – Michael Jackson. So now that this has all gained notoriety due to being associated with MJ, the artist will have to take all the bad that comes along with it as well. Michael was an artist too, and he took his share of heartache and pain from news outlets and other media who was hungry to make a buck off him.
If you want to use such a famous person to get notice, then be prepared to take the heat of the critics as well.
So IMO, this is not art. And it’s not a joke, even though the people who own the builiding might think it is. It is a very sore subject to millions of people.
@JM: But WHY is this such a sore subject to millions of people? If this was genuinely about the manner in which the media often dehumanise those who fall within their spotlight, then fine; but realistically, most of these comments come from fanboys/girls who are (over)reacting as though a member of their family had been abused, and who probably wouldn’t bother posting if the ‘victim’ were someone lesser-known.
I think Kohler and The Premises Studio are suicidal, because by committing this offensive act they digged their own graves and became the target of worldwide hate. Only people who are not in their right mind would commit such disrespectful act. Just in case they are too crazy to think properly, I let them know that by committing this offense, they did nothing but aiming the canons at themselves and firing. And by now, you are lying in your own graves. R.I.P. Kohler and The Premises Studios. The world will for ever hate you and disrespect you.
I also find this sculpture creepy… but at the end of the day, this DID happen. He hung his baby out of the window for all the world’s media to see and there were no repercussions. Why is creating commentary on this any more sick than creating a shrine to this man and sweeping all the dark and troubling stuff under the carpet.
… I haven’t read any of the previous comments, nor the article 🙂 But rather like at a Quaker gathering I just wanted to stand up and share with you 🙂 My most curious experience from on the day of (or roundabout) when it was announced Michael had died:
I was with a group of people sat round a fire, in a nearby neighbour’s garden, and in just a short time after someone mentioned Michael’s death most of the group had stood up and were dancing round the fire, each to their own imaginary Michael Jackson song from inside of their heads 🙂
@Russell Higgs
Congratulations on the most reprehensible comment yet.
Well done.
I am absolutely, categorically, disgusted but the utter lack of respect this so called ‘artist’ has for MJ’s family and children all over the world. Its one thing to have an issue with Michael and offend his family and fans… but did he not consider how harrowing the actual statue is??? Has anybody considered calling CHILDLINE? Its basically promoting throwing a child out of window surely this is a completely irresponsible image to put up?
@LOVER OF FACTS [sic]: I thought I’d read some really pathetic posts on this thread, until I read yours – you’ve managed to trump everybody else on that score! 😛
@Russell Higgs: it’s always all about YOU, isn’t it?
@The Great Smell Of Brute, Do you type for the sake of typing? Pathetic post based on? Don’t just make a statement without explaining your argument … oh hold on, do you work for The Premises Studio?
My opinion and position is legitimate! It is a disturbing and dark piece of work that promotes a dangerous act towards children! When Michael Jackson did it, I was horrified and a am a huge fan! This is truly the ugly side of what was captured about him and nobody wants to be reminded of that harrowing image. The question is, why in the hell after all the the GOOD things this man has done for the world by donating millions to charities and helping sick children, would someone pick a really horrific laps of judgment and memorialize it calling it ‘art’ ??? Its a complete slap in the face and but more importantly an attack on a dead man. This needs to be taking down!! ANYTHING promoting hanging a child out the window is a child protection issue!! IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN YOU ARE PATHETIC!!!
@LOVER OF FACTS [sic]: what’s pathetic is that you can’t see the logical fallacy of berating The Premises for promoting child abuse by putting up a SCULPTURE of a famous dead man apparently dangling his young baby precariously from a window, whilst saying NOTHING to the same effect about the REAL LIFE incident on which it was based, in your original post! Then again, I doubt that logic has much of a place in your little world of screaming invective, empty hero-worship and mass media-displaced emotional reactions.
Some people clearly need to get out more…
@ The Great Smell Of Brute,
The Premises Studio In Hackney is promoting DANGEROUS ACTS TOWARDS CHILDREN!!!
Had you bothered to read through my post before writing your defensive rant on behalf of The Premise, you would have perhaps thought twice before you capitalized ‘NOTHING’ in you response!! I clearly state that I found the real event completely horrifiying!
To pretend that this sculpture is not completely offensive is testament to sad little world that YOU must be living in!
I completely understand why the sculpture has been put there, with the whole fan worship thing however regardless of that fact, it is completely offensive on a different level. Why – Because although it captures a true to life event that took place, it was this disturbing event that caused great child protection concerns with the star!
It was an ugly image then and it is an ugly image now! Granted this may be perceived as art to many but then, what is’nt these days! I am a huge Michael Jackson fan and only a lover of REAL MUSIC would appreciate this, however this bares no strong relation to my position on this particular matter. I do not like the statue primarily on the basis that it promotes a dangerous act towards a child and I do believe it is a irresponsible thing to put up. My question about why his achievements were not memorialized in some way is completely secondary and in direct defense of his overall musical and personal contributions to this earth!
Let it be clear that I do not dismiss the fact that this event took place in real life and I did not support it then.
There are two things that are happening here
1. A personal attack on Michael Jackson’s memory
2. A disturbing image of a man hanging a child from a window.
Its not art in my opion.. its sick!
@LOVER OF FACTS [sic]: the pertinent FACT (lol!) of this matter is that you only alluded to being ‘horrified’ in your REPLY to my post; therein lies the crux your logical fallacy. Are you really unable to follow a train of event in their chronological order and present an honest account of yourself? The evidence is there for everyone to see for themselves on this thread.
As far as I’m concerned, the sculpture IS a legitimate work of art, if only because it has managed to provoke some extreme reactions (which is one of the functions of art). You allude to it being ‘dark’, but that’s true for many other works of art, historically; anything less is simply kitsch or mere decoration. I don’t much care for it myself, but then that’s just MY opinion – one of very many (just as YOURS is).
And as for promoting child abuse…c’mon! If anything, the sculpture should serve as a cautionary tale – except to really stupid, maladjusted people, who have no business reproducing in the first place
Finally, I’m not connected in any direct way to The Premises (I’ve used their rehearsal studios before: they’re good, with quality equipment, and the cafe’s terrific too), so I’ve no need to defend anything. But the hysteria that this sculpture and the article at the head of this thread have generated are frankly beyond my comprehension; it’s like ‘Dianamania’ all over again.
@The Great Smell Of Brut, My original post made a clear statement about the sculpture being harrowing, Are YOU unable to follow the train of event clear for all to see! Whether I stated anything to do with the real life event is neither here or there as my position remains the same!
I also have recorded at the Premise and I am aware of the studios and the cool cafe! Puggin aside, the sculpture in itself is a COMPLETE CONTRADICTION!!! If anything this sculpture demonstrates the studios complete ignorance and lack of regard for Child Protection and ironically shows that they indeed are part of the crowd who put Michael Jackson on this complete pedal-stool without a second thought!!!
The Premise Studios are the biggest hero worshipers showing a complete dissociation with Michael Jackson’s horrific actions on that day and real life accountability. You fail to realize the real life impact of such a disgusting image on the basis that it is Michael Jackson holding that baby – therefore in your opinion the message of the sculpture is not offensive or somehow devalued! You call it art and all real opposition to this claim must be in direct relation to the hero worshiping of the late star…
You do not stop once to take a look at the sculpture for what it is – completely sick!
Of course this is not a harrowing image because it’s Michael Jackson holding the child! Oh really? Now who is the fan placing this ‘above all’ status on the late famous icon??
I ask you, would your prospective be the same if the subject was not famous?? My logic is not flawed fand my argument is legitimate. If you do not
at least understand my point of view that a reflection of your egocentric way of thinking.
Again, this sculpture IN MY OPINION is not art – provocative, irresponsible and offensive at best!
@LOVER OF FACTS [sic]: you seem totally unable to accept that someone else (in this case, your’s truly) can have a different perspective on a contentious subject than your own.
What’s more, you made a very poor job of communicating your complete point of view in your initial post; it has been necessary for me to challenge your expressed opinion a couple of times in order to find out why exactly you held this particular point of view, which is frankly not my job. If you are too inarticulate to express yourself coherently on a public forum, or are simply so lazy that you assume that the onus is on other people to guess what you’re on about, prepare to be misunderstood on a regular basis. THAT is egocentric behaviour, in my opinion.
I understand the basis for argument re the sculpture promoting child abuse, but I simply find it too weak to be convincing. You’re not that accustomed to formal debate, are you?
@TheGreatSmellofBS
The sculpture doesn’t promote child abuse.
It promotes cheap sensationalism and the acquisition of money at the expense of art.
If you want to support whoredom, go right ahead.
Just call it what it is: cheap muck.
And for the record, the syntax and overbearing smugness of your poorly written comment identifies ‘you’ as the one unfamiliar with matters formal.
Pot. Kettle. Black.
…and suddenly, I find myself in the company of people who imagine that they are clearly such experts on art, that they can have the final word on that broad subject! 😛
@Don’t believe everything you read (just hagiographies of Michael Jackson): to my mind, the piece Madonna & Child qualifies as art for the reason I’ve already given above. Personally, it inspires almost no emotion in me directly, and I would regard it as a very slight piece, of little aesthetic merit (other than the craft involved in making it); I have no motive therefore to defend it against SERIOUS critics. So how exactly am I ‘supporting whoredom’?
What fascinates me though is the extreme reaction of certain individuals to this piece, and their apparent inability to perceive that in posting screaming invective to a public forum, they are actually feeding the beast that they claim to want to slay. Why is this rather obvious (to me, at least) irony lost on the hardcore Jackson fans?
@The Great Smell Of Brute
I thought I was commenting on an online Hackney Gazette page, I had no idea I was being assessed on my writings…
You say that the sculpture evokes no direct emotion in you, yet you continue to stay dedicated to this thread typing away to whoever disagrees with your view! I am completely able to take on other peoples prospective however, you felt the need to attack my first comment instead of addressing me respectfully.
I can only assume that the necessity to constantly ask for clarification about my point of view is testament to how simple you actually are and I am now convinced you are a representative for The Premises Studios.
Your responses are totally idiotic and I would be lying if I said I was going to spend anymore time debating about this piece of garbage you call art.
I will now leave you to attack anybody else who finds this junk distasteful!
Good night.
And there you have it as this is actually Hackney Citizens 🙂
lol
@ LOVER OF FACTS Yeah I see your point, its not the nicest thing to look up at. And @ TheGreatSmellOf CompleteBS you need to get a life mate.
@LOVER OF FICTION: dear, oh dear – suffering logic failure again, I see! You do seem to have dedicated considerable time and energy to (deliberately?) misunderstanding the content of my posts, whilst failing to put across your own opinions convincingly; I guess you must need a lie down now. 😛
And, guess what? This is a PUBLIC forum, where people will judge you on your writing skills (amongst other things), whether you like it or not. I absolutely defend your right to express your views freely, but I equally defend my own right (or that of anyone else) to call you out if you’re clearly talking rubbish or demonstrating an inability to argue your way out of a proverbial wet paper bag.
Oh, and this is the Hackney CITIZEN site, NOT the Hackney Gazette – your tenuous grasp of the pertinent facts really is a bit of a worry!
Other than to give a very brief (being all it deserves) appraisal of its aesthetic merits and subject matter, the only direct opinion I’ve expressed about the sculpture is that it qualifies as art; I’ve defended that view, simply because I found the counter-arguments churlish and highly subjective. The whole cult of celebrity and the hysteria it inspires is of far greater interest to me; is no one going to comment on THAT?
Goodnight! 🙂
Oh, I see you became a Hackney Citizen after all, whilst I was posting! 😉
@ TheGreatSmellOfCompleteBS you are one sad individual. ha ha ha!
@TheGreatSmellOfCompleteBS it took you just under 30 mins to respond ha ha ha!! You are a joke mate.
@ Ricky, sometimes you just have to admit defeat when it comes to the mentally challenged. Yes I noticed that too 31 long minutes… Must have been proofing his work like mad ;)!
@ LOVER OF FACTS ha ha ha ha ha ha!!
PMSL!!!!!!!!!
Is this really happening? The complete contradiction of you @SmellyBrute What an arrogant asshole you are! Complete fucking moron! MJ IS A LEGAND!!
Welcome to the LOVEROFFACTS
and TheGreatSmellofBrute show.
Yawn….
@Observer: you could always change channels. Or wait for this thread to revert to vegetable soup, once the fanboys/girls are back in charge and gushing/ranting oh-so-predictably about their dead icon.
@SmellyBrute what are you on about? You are the one that is chopping and changing your argument. One minute you don’t care and the next you do. I think you must have very close associate with that pathetic studio. You are a sad prat that never made anything out of your life. You find yourself on pages like this to flex your apparent intellectual superiority on everyone else! All the while you’re the thickest person on this page!!!! Low self esteem I think 😉
I have to say I see both arguments as legitimate. There is certainly a plausible argument that yes the sculpture is irresponsible and showcases a dangerous act towards a child without regard and indeed the fact that the The Premises Studio has overlooked this, demonstrates their own hero worship for the late icon. Its as if the subject holding the baby somehow makes displaying this for all to see ok.
However it can then be argued that very fact makes it art because the joke is on The Premises Studio who so blatantly display it without regard or second thought.
Either way the sculpture is in bad taste and is most definitely a personal attack on Michael Jackson.
This is just nasty and yes it is showcasing holding a child out the window! Why is it ok because it is Michael Jackson? Its wrong! Why can’t you all just leave him alone?
R.I.P Michael 🙁
How in the heck can these people talk about this not being offensive just coz its Michael! This is the exact crap I’m talking about when it comes to MJ! The fact is why the hell would they put it up whether it happened in real life or not? Do they support the act of holding a child out the window? THIS IS SICK!
@Jenifer .Kelly.:-
* LOVER OF FACTS [sic] claimed that the sculpture promoted child abuse, then failed to produce even a lukewarm argument to support that point of view when challenged to do so, despite several opportunities to do so;
*Don’t believe everything you read argued that the sculpture didn’t qualify as art; whilst I’d agree with her comments that it ‘promotes cheap sensationalism and the acquisition of money’, I disagree with her view that that alone is sufficient to disqualify it as art.
The sculpture itself is of very little interest to me (as I’ve already stated); the Pavlovian reaction to it, however, is both interesting and very telling, in relation to the modern phenomenon of celebrity.
By the way, you’ve accused me of certain things (including low self esteem – what a tawdry, cheap shot!), without citing anything I’ve actually written on this thread. Throwing dirt in the hope that at least some of it will stick is a pure chimp tactic – Bubbles would be proud of you! 😛
The cult of Jackson haters is …..
…..tedious.
…as is the cult of Jackson fans.
To steal a line from Bladerunner, this silly little sculpture is a test designed to provoke an emotional response.
@ SmellyBrute Touched a nerve? Its obvious you have no life! At the end of the day LOVER OF FACTS presented an argument that you actually acknowledged so to be honest, you’re just full of shit! You are not interested in this sculpture, yet you continue to stay dedicated to this thread, you are part of The Premises camp as you said and I agree with others that you are egocentric and unable to take on another argument… you really are a fucking moron.. a few post ago you state
“I understand the basis for argument re the sculpture promoting child abuse…”
Thats all you need to acknowledge whether you agree or not is up to you! Either way its an argument in opposition to your view.. DEAL WITH IT AND GET OVER IT! the basis is plausible [ which you acknowledge so just shut the fuck up now!
@TheGreatSmellOfCompleteBS Challenged? Does that not mean you have to find flaw in the argument being presented to you? You challenged nothing mate.. You just went into one about hero worship … if anything, its the other way round, you could not present your argument! I’m sure most people thought what the hell is this saddo on about .. ha ha ha ha!! The funny thing is, you contradict your self when you say
“failed to produce even a lukewarm argument to support that point of view when challenged to do so, despite several opportunities to do so”
and then
“I understand the basis for argument re the sculpture promoting child abuse…” YOU FOOL!!
You either understand it (legitimate argument ) or you don’t understand it ( illegitimate argument) You not agreeing with the apposing view is up to you.
@TGSOFB
Yes, and here you are, being emotional.
Apparently the Taliban aren’t keen on visual depictions of their deity either.
Apparently you have to have a letter from your CPN to become a Michael Jackson fan.
Oh do be quiet Michael.
his nose fell off
It wis clear tae me thit the wee guy hud problems ken? And it’s no oor fault. If ah fancy pittin me wee yin oot the windae tae shite it up ah will n aw, ya radge
Widnae mind one aye that pot noodles bae the wey
I am from Germany, I was in the crowd the day he held his little baby over the balcony.
I cried with terror.
Please take the statue down.
Maybe it would be better to replace this with one of David Hasslehoff, Don’t Hassle the Hoff,
The Pathetic Studios trying to make fame out of Michael Jackson’s name just because they cannot do anything valuable and worthwhile. They can’t even dare mention Michael’s name, because their activity isn’t worth a dime to Michael’s art, music and legacy. What they’re doing is cheap, poor and dishonourable way of gaining fame and money. They’re pathetic, they’d do anything for money!