Dr. Maya Angelou - Honored 21 June 2010 Winston-Salem, NC      (photo credit: Kimberly Michele Durham)

Contact: Kimberly Michele Durham

kim@kcheledesigns.com

Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait

The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait, is the largest and most respected global tribute to Michael Jackson.  The Tribute Portrait is not a one-night event, but rather a work of art.

The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait, comprised of hand-drawn dots that come together to create the image of Michael Jackson, is a museum piece in the making, representing the millions of lives touched by Michael Jackson’s unparalleled work in music and entertainment, his consummate generosity and his humanitarian mission. We are not aiming to profit and the portrait is not for sale. The dots, which are free to all participants, unify a global community in living out Michael’s legacy. “1 Dot = 1 Fan.” The portrait, drawn by celebrity artist, David Ilan (who is famous for his drawings of Seinfeld among others), progresses only when a person signs up to “be a dot.” Currently, we represent more than 250,000 people in more than 180 countries and the tribute is growing every day.  It will take one million dots to finish the portrait, but there is room for many more to join this one-of-a-kind, ongoing tribute created on a daily basis by the fans themselves. The tribute portrait unites a highly diverse group of people in remembrance of Michael Jackson’s legacy and depicts the fact that we each were impacted by him and carry a piece of that legacy forward.

The Tribute Portrait is supported by a growing list of Michael’s friends and colleagues, including Dr. Maya Angelou, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Larry King,  Nick Cannon, Mickey Rooney, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Adam Lambert, George Lopez, Louis Gossett, Jr., Raven Symone, Vivica A. Fox, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Marlon Wayans, Travis Payne, Stephanie Mills and more. The Tribute Portrait has been embraced by the Jackson family.

What will the portrait look like? The portrait is partially complete and you will see it at the event. The drawing will represent multiple moments in Michael's life, from his younger years to more recent times. There will be more than one image of Michael in this drawing. Since fans have different opinions on what Michael should look like in the drawing, the artist came up with a concept that will make everyone happy. There are not other celebrity images in the drawing. It is a pointillist drawing of Michael Jackson.

Does the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait have a greater mission? This project has a charitable wing. The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait is an icon representing Michael Jackson’s charity. The Portrait attended an event held in November 2009 at the Magic Johnson Theatres where 60 kids from L.A.’s inner city got their dots and walked down the red carpet with the cast of THIS IS IT, and other VIP guests, and were treated to a screening of the film. Other charitable live events are planned and will continue well into the future.

There is also extraordinary interest in charitable work amongst the “global dot community” which has formed ties via a social network at michaeljacksontributeportrait.com. Besides typical fan-oriented groups, the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait Website has given birth to many informal groups oriented around humanitarian efforts. The global cooperation in simple acts of charity is remarkable. The Tribute is currently helping a 13-year-old boy who is battling leukemia in Germany. He contacted the Tribute when the doctor’s had very little hope and said, “If I could have a dot next to Michael’s, I think I would get better.” David Ilan gave Joshua his dot and he has surprised doctors with his amazing progress. Michael’s Angels is grass-roots initiative that grew out of the Tribute. Michael’s Angels encourages “dot members” to do charitable work in their own communities. Michael’s Angels recently established headquarters in Belgium. The Tribute Team (volunteers coordinating the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait) is currently focused on the portrait itself, but may in the future extend our work to facilitate the initiatives of the “global dot community.”

To participate, go to: http://www.MichaelJacksonTributePortrait.com.

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