Michael Jackson in Paris

Michael Jackson at the Grand Palais... is there any better way to lure your teenager to visit a museum? Expat daughter was made an offer she could not refuse; an evening guided tour through one of Paris' iconic buildings and my absolute favourite venue.

To mark the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, the Grand Palais put on a major exhibition that examines the contribution of the world’s most famous pop singer to the creative arts over the past 30 years.

My 15-year old daughter who belongs to a complete different generation enjoyed retracing the evolution of the music and physique of the child star who went on to become a legend. Through "Michael Jackson, naissance d’une icône" we got to admire works on loan by a number of artists fascinated by Michael Jackson such as Jeff Koons, David LaChapelle, Klara Liden, Glenn Ligon, Paul McCarthy, Dexter Dalwood, Mark Flood, Isa Genzken, David Hammons and many more.

Her absolute favourite was one work, filling a whole room, focusing not on Jackson but on his fans. South African artist Candice Breitz filmed 16 German-speaking Jackson fans of myriad ages and races, singing "Thriller" and other songs of his. It's was an engaging and moving work that showed just how much Jackson means to those who love his music...no matter what age!

Grand Palais here we come!

Kehinde Wiley - who has also painted Barack Obama's official portrait - depicts Jackson in armor on horseback, in a painting modeled on Peter Paul Rubens' portrait of King Philip II of Spain. The portrait was the last one Jackson commissioned, and was completed after his death.

An intense looking Michael

 A little creativity goes a long way

The small print are the lyrics to the record.

Andy Warhol's interpretation

Keith Haring's image

Who owned this LP?

Those were the days...

The exhibition included works that reflect on what Jackson meant to his fans, his place in African-American culture, the way he manipulated fame - and the way fame manipulated him.

I actually remember that issue of Rolling Stone... 

a magazine that was not available in Switzerland in those days!

Which mike would you like to be?

Todd Gray's reinterpretation of "Man in the mirror"?

A picture of Elizabeth Taylor's night table

Dangerous!

Gary Hume: One of my personal favourite!

Anything goes.

Ebony Magazine from 2008

Scottish artist Donald Urquhart, who created an illustrated Michael Jackson alphabet for the exhibition, thinks Jackson's "manipulation of fame" has inspired many artists. 

Unmistakably LaChapelle