Born: December 22, 1960, New York City, U.S.
Died: August 12, 1988 (aged 27), New York City, U.S.
Resting Place: Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
Years Active: 1978–1988
Art Forms: Painting, drawing
Notable Works: Irony of Negro Policeman (1981), Untitled (Skull) (1981), Hollywood Africans (1983)
Art Movements: Neo-Expressionism, Street Art
Website: basquiat.com
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an influential American artist whose distinctive style and thematic focus on social justice, identity, and Black history left an indelible mark on the art world. Rising to prominence in the early 1980s, Basquiat’s unique blend of graffiti-inspired text, vivid colors, and layered symbolism reflected his personal experiences and the social landscape around him. His works, now some of the most valuable and celebrated in contemporary art, continue to inspire discussions on race, power, and creativity.
Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a multicultural family: his father, Gérard Basquiat, was a Haitian immigrant, and his mother, Matilde Andrades, was born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents. From a young age, Basquiat showed a natural inclination for art, nurtured by his mother, who took him to museums and encouraged his creativity.
A significant moment in his childhood occurred in 1968, when he was hospitalized after a car accident. During his recovery, his mother gave him a copy of Gray’s Anatomy, influencing his later fascination with anatomy and skeletal forms.
Basquiat’s first steps into the art world began with graffiti. In 1978, he and friend Al Diaz created the graffiti persona "SAMO" to express their social and political critiques on buildings in Manhattan. The cryptic messages gained attention, and by 1980, SAMO ended, symbolized by graffiti declaring “SAMO IS DEAD.”
During this time, Basquiat also formed the experimental band Gray, connecting him with influential artists and musicians.
Basquiat’s art career quickly took off after his work was included in the "Times Square Show" in 1980. Soon after, he met Andy Warhol, whose friendship and collaborations helped catapult Basquiat into the international spotlight.
By the early 1980s, Basquiat’s work was being exhibited globally. He became the youngest artist to participate in Documenta in Germany and one of the youngest to exhibit at the Whitney Biennial.
Basquiat’s work often explored themes of duality, juxtaposing wealth and poverty, power and vulnerability, and Black and white cultural symbols. His crown symbol became iconic, representing dignity, royalty, and the complexity of his heroes.
Following the unexpected death of Andy Warhol in 1987, Basquiat’s life took a darker turn. His struggles with addiction worsened, and after attempting to rehabilitate in Hawaii, he returned to New York. Basquiat died on August 12, 1988, at his studio in NoHo. Despite his brief life, his artistic legacy has continued to grow.
Basquiat’s work has had a lasting impact on contemporary art, inspiring generations of artists and resonating with audiences worldwide. His painting Untitled (1982) sold for over $110 million in 2017, setting a record for the most expensive painting by an American artist. His themes of power, inequality, and resilience continue to secure his place in art history.
Basquiat’s work has been featured in major exhibitions, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art (1992), the Brooklyn Museum (2005), and the Barbican Centre in London (2017). In 2022, *Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure*, featuring previously unseen works, debuted in New York and later traveled to Los Angeles in 2023.
Basquiat remains a profound influence in the arts, music, and fashion. His collaborations with Andy Warhol, as well as his impact on fashion and media, affirm his role as a transformative figure who bridged street culture with fine art.
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