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Jean Michel Basquiat
- 1. A Rising Star, a Burning Flame, Gone To Soon By Zurita Brown IDS510-90
- 3. Riding with Death (1988)
- 7. Untitled
- 8. Skull
Notes de l'éditeur
- “Since I was seventeen, I thought I might be a star.” Jean-Michel Basquiat (1978)
- Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 22, 1960 to Gerard Basquiat, a Haitian native and Matilda Andradas, a Brooklyn native of Puerto Rican descent. He had two younger sisters, Lisane (1963) and Jeanine (1966). From an early ageJean-Michel Basquiat showed signs that he was gifted and had a natural talent and passion for art. He learned to read and write French, Spanish fluently and wrote a children’s book. His mother, whose interests were in fashion design, would often draw with him. She enrolled him as a member of the Brooklyn Museum when he was six and is credited with encouraging his artistic interests.The Nile is filled with many cultural elements and words in English and Spanish. This is a clear indication of the connection and value he placed on his heritage and culture.
- During his month long stay in the hospital after being hit by a car, he began drawing carcrash scenes to reflect the danger and allure to street life. His mother gave him a copy of Gray’s Anatomy, a textbook on human anatomy written in the 1800’s. The textbook influenced his later works and the band he co-founded in 1979, bears the name ‘Gray.’ In 1974 shortly after his parents separated, his father moved the family to Puerto Rico for two years due to a job promotion. Basquiat ran away a few times and his father commented, “Jean-Michel did not like obedience. He gave me a lot of trouble.”
- When the family returned Basquiat transferred to City-As-A-School, an alternative school designed for gifted and talented students who have difficulty with traditional school programs. Based on John Dewey’s theory that children learn by doing, students use internships to receive credit towards a high school degree. At City-As-A-School he met and became close friends with Al Diaz a fellow aspiring artist like himself. The two get into a lot of mischief at school. To ‘let off steam’ they spray painted graffiti and clichés all over lower Manhattan and sign the graffiti under the pseudonym SAMO. SAMO (same old shit), advertises false religion and politics (1977-1980). Basquiat dropped out of school with only one year left.In 1980, after a disagreement with Diaz the SAMO writings stopped, then suddenly returned stating, ‘SAMO is DEAD’. Diaz commented that he wanted to remain anonymous while Basquiat wanted recognition. Diaz later commented about how the SAMO writings were different from the usual graffiti because there was meaning in the statements.
- Basquiat ran away from home several times over the years staying on park benches or with friends. Once while staying with friends he was kicked of the apartment because he literally painted on everything, random objects, walls, chairs, personal items, etc. Drug use became a part of his life. Still intent on fame, Basquiat proclaimed to his father, “Papa, I will be very, very famous one day.” Between 1980 and 1987 Basquiat was in and out of relationships, stayed with various friends and attended parties that introduced him to graffiti artists like Fred Brathwaite and Lee Quinones. He also met Michael Holman, Danny Rosen and Vincent Gallo who later became members of his band, Gray.He frequented many of the popular night clubs, namely The Mudd Club and Club 52. He met artists, musicians and celebrities of various art industries, such as Madonna, John Lurie and Diego Cortex. Once while selling handmade t-shirts and post cards to make money, he met Andy Warhol.
- In 1980 Basquiat’s art was publically shown for the first time and is received well. He was formally introduced to Andy Warhol and a lasting collaborativefriendship developed. The two would often talk out philosophy, art and politics. Discussions that kept Basquiat’s paranoia and existential existence at bay.In 1984-1985 he and Warhol collaborate on numerous projects. This collaboration was not well received and the relationship suffered.Basquiat played the lead role in a movie called New York Beat, based on him and the downtown art scene. In 1982 he meets Shenge Kapharoah a Barbadian artist who shares African ideologies.Between 1980 – 1987 Basquiat’s art is shown locally in New York and Los Angeles, and internationally in Italy and Germany. His works were exhibited with the likes of Baskin, Haring, Scharf, Warhol and Braithwaite and always attracted new interest, curiosity, amazement. He later calls his father and proclaims, “I’ve made it.”
- Basquiat was a product to the 70’s and 80’s punk rock and pop culture. He had a phenomenal way of exposing theart world, politics andculture in a ironic manner. The Nixon 70’s presented the crisis allied forces pull out of Vietnam after nearly ten years of war. Growth of women’s rights. Nixon forced to resign due to Watergate scandal. Arms race. Waterbed was a popular icon which fuels sexual revolution. Start of electronic and digital revolution, home computers and video games.This Untitled work is full of symbolism relating to cultural injustice, religion technology and the economy.
- The Ronald Regan and Jimmy Carter 80s proved to be an era of materialism in urban areas and one of hopelessness and poverty in Smalltown, USA. It was the beginning of the computer age with personal PCs and the world wide web, punk fashion and MTV’s first music video aired. The Empire Strikes Back, Superman II and 9 to 5 where the highest grossing films and the Rubik’s Cube, Pacman was the most successful arcade game. John Lennon was assassinated in NY and small pox had been eradicated. Nuclear war was a constant threat and ‘end of the world’ themes were prevalent in music, literature and films. We saw the collapse of communism and dictatorships. We saw the plight of third world countries with the famine in Ethiopia was televised.Skull may have been influenced by the anatomy book given to him earlier or by the international relations issues of the time.
- Each of Basquiat’sworks is examples of his formal artistic ability despite the elementary appearance of his work. depth of creativity, endless frustration and ultimate activism and rejection of social constructs. His neo-expressionism paintings and drawings are filled with elements, words, letter, numbers, logos, maps, symbolism and diagrams, exploiting American culture, politics, religion and traditions. He was influence by his street life, his heritage, justice and equality, and numerous entities that he met throughout his life. His art was scrutinized, accepted and quickly popularized. Critics noted his emotional depth, unique iconography, formal settings in color, composition and drawing.He has left a lasting impression on a culture that is in constant flux.
- BibliographyJean-Michel Basquiat - www.basquiat.comEighty Eighty Nine - http://www.eightyeightynine.com/culture/history.htmlThe People History.com - http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1980s.htmlCulture in the Reagan Era - http://www.shmoop.com/reagan-era/culture.htmlThe Art Story - http://www.theartstory.org/artist-basquiat-jean-michel.htmBrooklyn Museum - http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/basquiat/street-to-studio/english/whobasquiat.phpReading Basquiat - http://artnectar.com/2011/06/reading-basquiat-book-review/