The exhibition Michael Jackson: On the Wall, which includes some 100 works of art, brings together leading contemporary artists’ interpretations of Michael Jackson. It features 48 established international artists from Andy Warhol to Isa Genzken, Kehinde Wiley and Jordan Wolfson. Inspired by the pop icon, the artists have examined the impact and influence of Jackson’s life and art on our culture and our ideas.

All the artists – despite coming from different generations, perspectives and parts of the world, and employing a range of media – have a personal interest in Michael Jackson and his music. In their works they discuss themes such as identity, race, gender, equality and fan culture, which are still relevant today.

The featured artists are: Rita Ackermann, Emma Amos, Lyle Ashton Harris, Dara Birnbaum, Appau Junior Boakye-Yiadom, Candice Breitz, Monster Chetwynd, Michael Craig-Martin, Dexter Dalwood, Graham Dolphin, Mark Flood, Isa Genzken, Michael Gittes, Todd Gray, Kai Guetta, Maggi Hambling, Jonathan Horowitz, Rashid Johnson, Isaac Julien, Johannes Kahrs, KAWS, David LaChapelle, Louise Lawler, Klara Lidén, Glenn Ligon, Sam Lipp, Isaac Lythgoe, Paul McCarthy, Rodney McMillian, Dawn Mellor, Dan Mihaltianu, Mr. Brainwash, Lorraine O’Grady, Catherine Opie, Yan Pei-Ming, Grayson Perry, Paul Pfeiffer, Faith Ringgold, Michael Robinson, Pamela Rosenkrantz, Mark Ryden, Susan Smith-Pinelo, Donald Urquhart, Andy Warhol, Kehinde Wiley, Hank Willis Thomas, Jordan Wolfson and Rose Wylie.

Produced by the National Portrait Gallery, the show is curated by its Director, Dr. Nicholas Cullinan. The works are on loan from public and private collections around the world, including new works made especially for Michael Jackson: On the Wall.

The exhibition opened in London in the summer of 2018 on what would have been Michael Jackson’s 60th birthday. After London, the exhibition has toured to Grand Palais in Paris and Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn and finally it will open at EMMA in August 2019. The exhibition is accompanied by the publication of a hardcover catalogue with essays by Nicholas Cullinan, Margo Jefferson and Zadie Smith.

Michael Jackson: On the Wall is produced with the cooperation of the Michael Jackson Estate.

The exhibition has received support from the Embassy of the United States in Helsinki, the Romanian Cultural Institute in Stockholm and Embassy of Romania to Finland.