Jim Carrey Gets Flak From Fans For Aretha Franklin Tribute Painting
When Aretha Franklin passed away on Thursday after a battle with advanced pancreatic cancer, many of Hollywood’s most recognizable celebrities took to social media to pay tribute to the “Queen of Soul.” But while Jim Carrey went beyond the standard tribute post by sharing his new painting of the music legend on Twitter, several fans took issue with the quality of the Ace Ventura: Pet Detective star’s work, with many specifically asking him why Aretha “looks white.”
According to a report from The Blast, Carrey posted a photo of his painting on Twitter on Thursday morning, captioning it with the words, “Look how beautiful a life can be. Thank you, Aretha!” Not long after he shared the photo, Carrey reportedly found himself criticized by a number of fans who questioned why Franklin was seemingly depicted as white. Other fans, however, showed their appreciation for the painting and defended Carrey’s choice and manner of creative expression.
“The whole *skin-color* argument is full of such pettiness… Do you ask why Matisse painted a woman with a green face?” said one Twitter user.
As further noted by The Wrap, some Twitter users didn’t just wonder why Aretha Franklin looked white, as there were a few who compared her appearance on Carrey’s painting to that of Kathy Bates, an actress best known for her roles in Misery and American Horror Story. Other fans seemed to take the backhanded approach when commenting on Carrey’s artwork, as one user suggested instead that people should “listen to how beautiful a life can sound.”
“She’s moving towards the light from what I can gather, [the] glow on her face makes her look white,” Twitter user Bilal S. Heider speculated, as quoted by The Blast and The Wrap.
In addition to the above comments, one fan tweeted an edited version of Jim Carrey’s painting with a slightly tweaked color scheme, adding the words “Fixed it.”
As explained by People, Jim Carrey’s Aretha Franklin tribute was a departure from his recent sketches and paintings, which have mainly focused on political figures such as President Donald Trump. While Carrey has generally chosen to avoid naming the people he features in his artwork, the 56-year-old actor has been known to use art as a medium to share his beliefs on political issues and other current events. These creations have drawn mixed reviews from Carrey’s followers, with many commending him for calling out the aforementioned public figures through his art, and others describing the paintings and sketches as being tantamount to bullying.
