All-singing all-dancing exhibition sparkles with Michael Jackson's brilliance

Published on Monday 26 October 2009 20:33

MICHAEL Jackson fans will have the chance to get up close to some of their hero's valuable memorabilia this week.

An exhibition documenting his musical legacy opens on Wednesday and will feature Jackson in his many guises, including his roles as stylist, dancer and lyricist.

Some of the memorabilia includes the late singer's navy blue Rolls-Royce, a selection of his trademark gloves and sequined jackets and a contract from his early days with the Jackson 5. Another highlight is the design and patent for the shoes he invented for the lean dance move that he does in the Smooth Criminal video.

Potentially the most interesting part of the exhibition is the Neverland room, with a fantasy painting of him being knighted and another depicting him wearing royal garb, as well as a throne of red velvet and gold.

The show is timed to coincide with the release of a posthumous album and a movie consisting of rehearsals for his "This is It" comeback performances in London which were cancelled after Jackson's sudden death.

The exhibition, which includes some 250 items, including many from Jackson's personal estate, will open at the O2 Bubble arena in London for three months before it moves on to other cities in the UK.

"What we have done here is try to illustrate through objects and film his musical legacy, which most people would agree is the most important and one of the most profound in the history of the 21st century," said curator Robert Santelli.

Jackson's love of the theatrical is well represented, including costumes he wore on stage. The exhibition ends in a room where fans can write their farewell wishes to the deceased star.

Mike Brando, a former bodyguard to Jackson and son of Marlon Brando, said the exhibit is a fitting tribute.

"He was just a genius," Brando said. "Hopefully this exhibition will show another side of Michael that maybe a lot of people did not know about."