The Death of Two Icons

Written by guest blogger Jayne Michaels of 2Michaels Design

The deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson on the same day last week was dramatic and surreal. Both were icons who left impacts on 20th-century American popular culture. In the 1970’s, Farrah Fawcett represented California health and fitness; she was the golden girl of our dreams. Like many other young girls,  I wanted to look like her with her sporty tan, tousled mane, and perfect white teeth, and I wanted to dress like her with her casually chic clothes. I wasn’t alone. As a child, artist Keith Edmier was transfixed by Farrah Fawcett. His first crush was on a classmate, Jill Peters, who had the same first name as Farrah’s character in Charlie’s Angels. The fact that she was blonde and had the "Farrah do" captured his imagination (as well as his heart). Years later, Edmier would meet his idol and collaborate on an art project with her. His marble sculpture of her was part of an exhibition called "KE + FF: Keith Edmier and Farrah Fawcett, 2000."

    Then there is Michael Jackson. Because he was so young (and I was even younger) when he became famous, I took his enormous talents for granted. It all seemed so effortless; everything he touched turned to gold. Only after his death did I realize how exquisitely unique his voice was. Like Sinatra, he had the ability to interpret a song and make it wholly personal. So many gifts he had: the unforgettable moon walk, the magic of his dance steps, the complexity of his songwriting ability, his style, and his grace. He was pop royalty and like other "royals" before him, his life slipped into dissipation and finally madness. Jeff Koons series of "Michael Jackson and Bubbles" done in 1988 depicts the royal spectacle of Jackson’s life at that time.