Andy Warhol's Michael Jackson portrait goes up for auction. Can print media be saved?
Michael Jackson may be gone, but that doesn't mean we can't still make money off his stuff. For nearly two months now, people have been cashing in on MJ memorabilia—from autographs to t-shirts printed up in the wake of the singer's sudden death. A Spanish company, the one that did the Titanic exhibition, is even in talks with estate reps to take more than 120 of Jackson's possessions on world tour.
And now the latest big-ticket item: a Michael Jackson painting by Andy Warhol. It's one of five Warhol did after being asked by Time to come up with an image for a cover story on the then-25-year-old music star (so we're talking 1984). The one Time wound up using had a yellow background and was later gifted to the National Portrait Gallery.
How short-sighted!
Perhaps, had we known the direction news publishing would take, we would have held onto our Warhol. Because the one with the green background reportedly just sold for more than a million dollars. (Although accounts of the sale—to a "speculator" who immediately handed it back to the gallery—make me wonder if there isn't something a little weird going on. Since we're talking about the intersection of Andy Warhol and Michael Jackson, I guess something a little weird wouldn't be altogether inappropriate.)
Anyway, I am now curious to know what ever happened to that Shepard Fairey portrait of Obama we used for the 2008 Person of the Year cover. Fairey's original Obama "Hope" collage was recently donated to the National Portrait Gallery by the lobbyists Tony and Heather Podesta. I'm hoping we held onto ours this time around. Given 25 years, it might prove to be a great investment.
Barbara!
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The picture of the Andy Warhol painting of Michael Jackson, is my favorite image of Michael. Warhol captured Michael's drive for perfection in his art, his beautiful smile, and his sense of playfulness.
Michael was the world's greatest entertainer and I doubt anyone will be able to fill his shoes, ever again!
I wish i could copy this image and use it as wallpaper on my computer, because i like it so much.
Thank you for showing it. Now that the painting has been sold, i don't know when i will see it again.
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[...] Barbara Kiviat regrets the magazine’s decision to donate their Andy Warhol portrait of Michael Jackson to [...]
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Hi Barbara - I assume that by the "Can Print Media Be Saved?", you are referring to some combination of being able to commission such art on a regular basis for print, and/or being able to sell it for a lot of money eventually.
I think the relevant question really is "Should print media be saved?" No one that I know has made a cogent argument here; most of the missives are both sentimental and illogical. It's not necessarily a bad thing that no one seems to want to defend print media well, but I think someone must be able to do better. Ultimately, print media either needs a new business model, or advertisers must find some reason to once again spend lavishly for exposure without knowing a lot about the audience.
Creating art may be the most interesting argument for keeping print media alive. Good for you!
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[...] Andy Warhol’s Michael Jackson portrait goes up for auction. Can print media be saved? [TIME] Warhol painting of Michael Jackson sold at auction [Reuters] [...]
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[...] here to read the rest: Warhol’s Michael Jackson Cover — TIME Gets Zilch! (Time Magazine) Amazon.com Widgets Related Posts:Michael Jackson memorabilia tour approved (AP via Yahoo! [...]
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[...] the original here: Warhol’s Michael Jackson Cover — TIME Gets Zilch! (Time Magazine) Share and [...]
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