Michael Jackson art: Symbol Escape

Michael Jackson used in his very special way countless symbols in his artwork and the symbol „escape“ he cited for decades. 1

Michael Jackson Symbol art Escape. Part of HIstory

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„I’ve got to get away, so I can free my mind
Escape is what I need, away from electric eyes
No matter where I am, I see my face around
They pin lies on my name, then push them town to town
Don’t have a place to run, but there’s no need to hide
I’ve got to find a place, but I won’t hide away
The man with the pen
That writes the lies that hassle this man (Writin‘ all those lies)
I can’t take this garbage here no more“

Michael Jackson, Song „Escape“ recorded 1999/2001.

In 1988 in his Film MOONWALKER Michael Jackson escapes from his hunters:

Michael Jackson Flucht in Moonwalker 1988. Escape.

1988, Michael Jacksons MOONWALKER

The army of anonymous reporters who chased him throughout his life was portrayed by Jackson in his short films. Here: An interpretation of MOONWALKER 1988.

Anonyme Reporter, die riesige Kameralinsen anstelle Gesichter haben, verfolgen Jackson.

From top left to bottom: 1986 Michael Jackson’s Pepsi commercial The Chase, 1988 MOONWALKER.

Michael Jackson’s exceptional talent and his life in the limelight has always been a headline for the tabloids even today. These reporters, who finance their own living by getting celebrities in front of their cameras, were portrayed by Jackson in many of his films. Sometimes Jackson depicted the tabloid reporters symbolically, in form of anonymous dark figures on the street like an army, using their cameras like weapons. Sometimes Jackson presented the reporters as they deserved: as caricatures.

v.l.n.r.: BILLIE JEAN 1983 and MOONWALKER 1988.

Early in his mega-career, Michael Jackson depicted tabloid reporters who ruthlessly created scandals to sell headlines like the „Billie Jean Scandal.“

Michael Jackson 1983 Billie Jean Scandal Tabloids 1983 Skandal Klatschpresse
The „BILLIE JEAN SCANDAL“ 1983

Michael Jackson repeatedly showed in his movies how he managed to escape from tabloid reporters or even from the fans: by hiding, by disguising himself. Or by pure magic.

Michael Jackson Flucht aus einem Gulli. Michael Jackson Escape from a manhole.
Michael Jackson Flucht: Jackson in Verkleidung der Cartoonfigur Spike. Michael Jackson Escape: In Disguise as Cartooncharacter Spike. Moonwalker 1988
Michael Jackson Flucht als pure Magie. Vor den Augen seiner Verfolger verwandelt sich Jackson in goldene Asche. 1991 Remember the Time
From top left to bottom: 1988 MOONWALKER, 1991 Remember The Time and MOONWALKER again.

Michael Jackson and the art of „escape“

Michael Jackson used the symbol of flying as a way of escape from reporters and the fans for many years. For decades Michael Jackson flew away in his films, performances and also in his music. Away from the persecuting public. He used the symbol of flying away as a symbol of escape from reporters and also from fans for many years. It seemed that flying-away was the quintessence of escape for Jackson.

Michael Jackson Flucht im James-Bond-Stil auf Skiern. Michael Jackson escape in James Bond style on his skis. Pepsi Commercial 1986
Michael Jackson Flucht als Cartooncharacter Spike in Moonwalker 1988.
Michael Jackson fliegt in einem Flugzeug davon. Michael Jackson is flying away in an aero plane. Who Is It 1993
From top left to bottom: 1986 Michael Jackson’s Pepsi Commercial „The Chase“, 1988 SPEED DEMON in MOONWALKER, 1993 WHO IS IT, 1992/1993 DANGEROUS World tour Rocket Man ending.

Michael Jackson broke boundaries not only in his art. Breaking glass in seems to be like liberation.

Michael Jackson zersprengt klirrend eine Fensterscheibe mit einer Mülltone. Black or White 1991. Michael Jackson breaks a window with a garbage can.
Michael Jackson zerbricht das Glas seines Gefängnisses. SCREAM 1995. Michael Jackson breaks the glass of his prison.
Michael Jackson 2009 in THIS IS IT, Smooth Criminal Segment. In diesem schwarz/weißen Bild durchbricht Jackson die Falle in Gestalt eines vergitterten Fensters. Durch einen Sprung entkommt er seinen Verfolgern. Michael Jackson escape in 2009 in THIS IS IT, Smooth Criminal segment. In this black and white image, Jackson breaks through the trap in form of a barred window. He escapes from his pursuers by making a jump
From top left to bottom: 1991 BLACK OR WHITE, 1995 SCREAM, 2009 SMOOTH CRIMINAL in THIS IS IT.
Michael Jackson Flucht vor Reporter auf die magische Art: Unerkannt ist er Teil des TV-Programms geworden. Wir sehen nur sein Gesicht.Pepsi Commercial The Chase 1986. Michael Jackson escape from reporters in the magical way: unrecognized he has become part of the TV program. We only see his face
Michael Jackson Flucht 1988 in MOONWALKER. Jackson, der sich zuvor in ein Superauto verwandelt hatte, nimmt rasende Fahrt auf und entkommt seinen Verfolgern. Michael Jackson escape 1988 in MOONWALKER. Jackson, who had previously transformed into a supercar, takes off at high speed and evades his pursuers.
Michael Jackson Flucht durch die Gassen Brasiliens in THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US. Er schaut sich nach uns, den Zuschauern um. Michael Jackson on the run through the streets of Brazil in THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US. He looks back at us, the audience.
From top left to bottom: Escape 1986 in Michael Jackon’s Pepsi commercial „The Chase“, 1988 in MOONWALKER in disguise, 1996 in THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT US and back to LEAVE ME ALONE 1988.
Michael Jackson in Ghost' zerfällt zu Asche die im Wind verstreut wird. Michael Jackson in Ghost's turns to ashes, scattered in the wind.
From top left to bottom: 1983 with singer Paul McCartney in the duett SAY SAY SAY, 2001 with actor and friend Chris Tucker, 1996 in Michael Jackson’s Ghost’s.

Certainly the most famous escape of all: Michael Jackson’s BILLIE JEAN. His 1983 film, in which he tells the story about the invention of a tabloid scandal.

Michael Jackson und die wohl berühmteste Flucht des Entertainers vor Reportern in Billie Jean 1983. Wir sehen nicht mehr ihn, sondern nur noch die aufleuchtenden Pflaster, die er berührt. Er geht davon. Michael Jackson and the entertainer's most famous escape from reporters in Billie Jean 1983. We no longer see him, only the flashing patches he touches. He walks away.

A disappearing Michael Jackson BILLIE JEAN 1983.

Related articles:

IV Michael Jackson aRt: The Moonwalker and the symbol „sunrise“
X DANGEROUS Jackson: The meaning of his number „1998“ in HIStory
XV DANGEROUS: Michael Jackson and his symbol „star“ and „peacock“

Quellen

  1. Screenshots: taken from „Michael Jackson’s Vision [Deluxe Edition] [3 DVDs], released 2010, https://www.michaeljackson.com/news/michael-history-13/

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