Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat: and The Art of Storytelling was edited by Hans Werner Holzwarth and was published in 2018 in Cologne, Germany by TASHEN. This very large, very heavy art book contains several high-quality color reproductions of Basquiat’s art and includes an essay by art historian and curator Eleanor Nairne.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) was born in Brooklyn, New York and died 27 years later in the same city. Basquiat is one of the most well-known contemporary artists of our time; right next to his friend, Andy Warhol (who he collaborated with on the tenth image). Despite dying young, Basquiat’s artistic career is expansive—his paintings and sketches number in the hundreds, each in the unique style that made him sought after. He was first invited to appear in New York/New Wave in 1981 by Mudd Club co-founder Diego Cortez. From there, Basquiat’s career would take off, and he began to appear in galleries throughout the country. Many publications and articles reference his time graffitiing under the name SAMO. However, Basquiat himself rejected this, stating that he was not a graffiti artist. Despite this, it has become a part of his legacy and is used to highlight his role in the “underground” art scene before breaking out into the public sphere. Today the name SAMO is synonymous with Basquiat; along with his iconic crown, his apparent fascination with bones, and the footprints he left behind on his prints.
Much of his art references his experience as a Black man in America and his Afro-Caribbean heritage. His art mixes drawn figures with fragments of phrases, speeches, and words. Some art historians have compared Basquiat’s style to being almost childlike in the way he sketches; however, I think this is a simplistic way of looking at his art especially when considering the subjugation and systematic oppression of Black Americans he often represents in his art.
Following the death of Andy Warhol, Basquiat’s drug use increased and he overdosed in 1988. We do not know how his art would have further evolved, but his approach to art continues to inspire new artists.
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--Olivia, Special Collections Art History Field Worker
