The two Michael Jacksons

In the immediate aftermath of his death, the creation of the posthumous memory of Michael Jackson began in earnest. People gathered in cities across the world to pay tribute to a renowned entertainer, celebrating his music with impromptu street concerts and dancing. CD sales and digital downloads of his albums also skyrocketed, breaking and setting new records in the process. The television news channels lead the way with tributes from people in the music industry, who praised Michael Jackson for his talent and inspiration, and also the prejudicial barriers to black entertainers that he removed. For all his recent controversies there was a sense that people were taking control of a public image that for years had been tarnished, and restoring it to a position of honour. It is as though there had existed two Michael Jacksons in the popular consciousness. The first was a grown-up child star of the Jackson 5 who forged an immensely successful solo career with Thriller, Billie Jean and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough. This was the Michael Jackson of the 1980s and the red leather jacket. The second was almost a figure of ridicule and tragedy, a man who by middle age exhibited a process of self-destruction and some bizarre eccentricities. Sometime this Michael eclipsed the latter. These weren’t, however, two different people, but the highs and lows of a person who lived under unique and exceptional circumstances. It is difficult to reconcile these characteristics within one person, so this separation in popular perception was aided by the fact that Michael Jackson’s appearance changed radically across the course of his life. As family, friends and fans continue to pay their last respects, the enduring face of Michael Jackson will be the young, fresh-faced entertainer in his prime, and the connotations of a man who dominated pop music culture of the 1980s and early 1990s.

Photograph by Herb Ritts, 1992