Michael Jackson exhibit opening amid revived sex abuse claims — Germany

By: Cody Cepeda - 5 years ago

A visitor takes a smartphone picture of the painting ‘Equestrian portrait of King Philipp II (Michael Jackson)’ from US artist Kehinde Wiley at a preview of the exhibition ‘Michael Jackson: On The Wall’ at the Bundeskunsthalle museum in Bonn, Germany, Thursday, March 21, 2019. This work is the final commissioned portrait of Michael Jackson. The exhibition around the controversial iconic pop idol is open until July 14. Image: AP/Martin Meissner

Michael Jackson Germany exhibit — A visitor takes a smartphone picture of the painting ‘Equestrian portrait of King Philipp II (Michael Jackson)’ from US artist Kehinde Wiley at a preview of the exhibition ‘Michael Jackson: On The Wall’ at the Bundeskunsthalle museum in Bonn, Germany, Thursday, March 21, 2019. This work is the final commissioned portrait of Michael Jackson. The exhibition around the controversial iconic pop idol is open until July 14. Image: AP/Martin Meissner

An exhibition of art about Michael Jackson is opening in Germany amid fresh controversy over the singer’s alleged abuse of children.

Curator Nicholas Cullinan said Thursday the show at Bonn’s Bundeskunsthalle was conceived long before the recent broadcast of HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland”, which details Jackson’s alleged molestation of two boys.

Some radio stations in North America have since stopped playing Jackson’s music. Jackson died in 2009.

The show previously was exhibited in London.

Cullinan said it “was never celebratory. It’s about the complexity of Michael Jackson, how he means very different things to many very different people.”

Ellen Heimes, who heads a local branch of Germany’s largest child protection organization, said the show should prompt a debate about spotting and preventing child abuse. CC

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