‘Hee hee hee’: Michael Jackson and the Transgendered Erotics of Voice
‘Throats are part of the erotic act, commanding, whispering, swallowing. Through his cries, whispers, groans, whines, and grunts. Michael Jackson occupies a third space of gender.’ Francesca Royster explores the sexualisation of Jackson’s voice throughout his earlier solo works, 'Off The Wall', 'Thriller' and 'Bad' while contextualising his voice within the wider concept of African-American sexuality and its representation.
Continue reading“Heard It On The Grapevine”: Are We Losing Michael Jackson All Over Again?
Abstract: This article was written to commemorate Michael Jackson’s 56th birthday. From the German fortress of Ehbreitstein to the ancient city of Trier and beyond) there is a meandering valley called the Mosel which hosts some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world. Reisling grapevines are draped over doors and along winding streets. This article is […]
‘The Isle is Full of Noises’: Revisiting the Peter Pan of Pop
Abstract: The artist, Michael Jackson has oft been given the epithet, Peter Pan of Pop, however, this article presents his association with fictional characters as far more complex. It also discusses Jackson’s parallels with Shakespeare’s Ariel and the authors, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde. This article is also available in German via this link: http://michaeljacksonstudies.org/die-insel-ist-voller-gerausche-erneuter-besuch-beim-peter-pan-des-pop/. Essay by Elizabeth Amisu, […]
Book Review Of ‘On Michael Jackson’ by Margo Jefferson
On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson (Vintage, 2006) Vintage Books USA; Reprint edition (2 Jan. 2007) £10,66/$14,00 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches; 146 pages. Paperback. ISBN-10: 0307277658 ISBN-13: 978-0307277657 Reviewed by Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic […]
Raven Woods – Langston Hughes’s “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” (1926)
Placed with permission of the author Raven Woods
In 1926, poet and essayist Langston Hughes wrote a short but stirring piece that became a manifesto for the Harlem Renaissance, the great cultural movement that brought Black art, culture, and music to prominence in American society. Last spring, when I assigned this essay to one of my American Lit classes, it occurred to me that much of what Hughes wrote in 1926 could also apply to many of the trials and tribulations that Michael Jackson would endure as an African-American artist more than sixty years later. Here is Langston Hughes's essay. The sections that are highlighted are my emphasis, as these are important points that I will return to later when addressing the essay's relevance to Michael Jackson:
Continue readingConstance Pierce – Privacy: Michael Jackson and J.D. Salinger
Abstract: Michael Joseph Jackson was a ritual healer whose charismatic presence magnetized and unified millions of souls for good through his global performances. In this opinion piece academic and artist, Constance Pierce, discusses the myriad connections between Michael Jackson, J.D. Salinger and the notion of privacy. Constance Pierce is a visual artist especially interested in the import […]
Constance Pierce’s Drawing Series: ‘Will You Be There’
Abstract: Constance Pierce’s “Will You Be There,” are a series of art works originally displayed in the international exhibition “Art on Paper 2010” at the Museum of Art in Aichi, Japan. This series has since been featured in three solo exhibitions: the Harlan Gallery of Seton Hill University of Pennsylvania, the Clara Fritzsche Gallery of Notre […]
On Michael Jackson’s ‘Dancing the Dream’
Abstract: Michael Jackson’s words were disseminated in liner notes, magazines and even a blog. His first published book was a 1988 autobiography, Moonwalk; the second, a children’s storybook based on Moonwalker (dir. Jerry Kramer, 1988) and the last, a 1992 publication called Dancing the Dream. ‘On Michael Jackson’s Dancing the Dream’ contextualises this collection of ‘poems and reflections’ within its author’s […]
Bad (1987)
Abstract: Michael Jackson starred in and produced upwards of forty films in a career which showcases many of the most watched short films of all time. The four-minute sequence often perceived to be Bad (dir. Martin Scorsese, 1987) is in fact the epicentre of a much longer narrative. Parodied in Moonwalker (dir. Jerry Kramer, 1988) in the spirit of Bugsy Malone (dir. Alan […]
Presenting… The MJAS (Journal of Michael Jackson Studies Online)
Our purpose is to make this site the online centre of academic studies regarding MJ We aim to offer a place: a) with a comprehensive reference list that will be adjusted as more academic studies are published, b) to publish papers (with abstracts) c) to publish blogs or papers d) to present links to online […]