They may be masters of their art, but one thing the Royal College probably cannot teach an artist is how to deal with death threats.
Though controversy and art are ideal bedfellows, the up-and-coming Swedish sculptor Maria von Köhler could hardly have imagined that her work would incur such wrath, leading an East London music studio to call the police after “specific” threats of violence and arson.
Von Köhler, a graduate of the Royal College who is collected by Jake and Dinos Chapman and Anita Zabludowicz, was given an intriguing commission: to create a sculpture based on Michael Jackson’s infamous baby-dangling incident in Berlin, in 2002.
She spent six months crafting the piece in clay, casting it in polyester resin and finishing it in acrylic and wax. The work was unveiled this week, hanging from the window of a London music studio. Entitled Madonna and Child, it is a striking piece — more Jeff Koons than Madame Tussaud. But some disagree.
“I knew there could be a weird reaction, though I didn’t think it would get as vitriolic as all this,” von Köhler, who is based in LA, says. “It is overwhelming, especially as I don’t see how the piece is insulting their hero. It is an event that actually happened. It was just meant to depict Michael Jackson’s status as an almost religious icon.”
Viv Broughton, co-owner of The Premises Studios, says: “I must say it’s the first time I’ve known a piece of sculpture to generate death threats. We are getting a little nervous as our inbox fills up. The reaction from fans has been almost fundamentalist. The level of abuse has been extraordinary, so we’re taking a few precautionary measures.”
Outside the studio this week, Ozlem, a maths teacher, said: “To me, it’s not art. It’s disturbing. I was angry the first time, when Michael Jackson did it. It brings back bad memories.”
However, Mareka, 31, an architect, said: “Every day it makes me laugh. I don’t think it’s tasteless. It did really happen, after all.”
Broughton explains: “I simply thought that the original incident had such a huge amount of high drama. It’s just a proud father showing off his son on one level, but then there are so many other levels of his status as a secular saint and the fans below calling for a glimpse of his son.”
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