ICONS: Marilyn Manson

© Marilyn Manson

Multimedia artist and provocateur Marilyn Manson has been a consistently subversive force in American popular culture for the past 15 years. Since his first nationally released album Portrait of an American Family, he has waged continuous aural wars against religion, the state, corporations, and the status quo. His second album, Antichrist Superstar, catapulted his career and put him squarely in the sights of conservative america. The album was a reflection on the growing pains of an artist, a commentary on both fame and the expectations it brings. Manson’s no-holds-barred approach to musical activism is often maligned by his critics and blamed for everything from school shootings to teenage suicides. However, his insightful responses in media interviews have shown his deep understanding of the concepts that he opposes.

Marilyn Manson interview with Bill O’Reilly:

Manson always teams up with incredible directors to create equally jarring visual accompaniment to his music, and the videos are often more controversial than the lyrics they contain. In “Coma White,” he is killed in an homage to the famous Zapruder Film of the JFK assassination. But he doesn’t stop there . . . His character is then hung on a cross, reminding us how our own culture tends to deify our own fallen leaders as martyrs.

Coma White:

Manson continues to challenge his audience to question accepted social mores and reinterpret their existence. While it is heavy hitting, his music remains palatable to a wide audience. He has managed to successfully ride the wave of pop-culture as it moves through time without compromising his musical vision and message. Since 2002, Marilyn Manson has extended his reach into the world of fine art with his watercolor paintings. His works feature simplistic forms and broad brush strokes, and while the imagery is often expectedly macabre, the mood is lightened by his colorful palette of washes. The two worlds collided with this image, which was the cover of his greatest hits album Lest We Forget.

Experience Is The Mistress Of Fools (© Marilyn Manson)