Transcript

Michael Jackson and Bubbles, 1988. When I created the Banality show, I knew that I needed to have a spiritual figure there to be able to give people the support to open themselves up—to have this self-acceptance that everything’s okay. And so I created Michael Jackson and Bubbles to be that spiritual figure—to be that Christ-like figure in this situation. And if you look at Michael Jackson and Bubbles, the way it’s formatted is like the Pietà. You have the figures there in this triangular-type setting, so it’s using this Renaissance style of the Pietà. And being in the gold and the white porcelain, it’s referencing also Egyptian art. If you look at the black outline around the eyes, and even think of the three pyramids at Giza, you can look at his leg as being one pyramid and Bubbles being the second pyramid and Michael Jackson being the third pyramid. So all of the references throughout history are giving this support to people that everything’s okay. Open yourselves up, participate in this acceptance. And Michael was there as this Christ-like figure.