white suede

Basquiat was born on 22 December 1960, in Brooklyn, New York.

His father threw him out of the house when he dropped out of school at the age of seventeen.

Basquiat first attracted attention for his graffiti tag "SAMO©" (shorthand for “same old shit”) in New York City.  more

Basquiat gained momentum with his first exhibition —the landmark DIY Times Square Show which opened in June of 1980 in an abandoned massage parlor off Seventh Avenue. The pioneering exhibition also featured works by Keith Haring, Kiki Smith, Jenny Holzer and Kenny Scharf.

Basquiat died of an accidental drug overdose on August 12, 1988, at his Great Jones Street studio. He was 27 years old. In the months preceding his death, the troubled artist claimed to be using a hundred bags of heroin a day.

What were his signature motifs and style?

Fusion of words, images and collages

The crown, Basquiat’s signature artistic motif, both acknowledged and challenged the history of Western art. By adorning black male figures, including athletes, musicians and writers, with the crown, Basquiat raised these historically disenfranchised artists to royal even saintly stature.

He drew inspiration from the medical textbook Gray’s Anatomy, which he read as a child after being hit by a car while playing in the street and suffered a broken arm and severe internal injuries.

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In 1996 fellow Neo-Expressionist Schnabel directed a biopic of the artist’s tumultuous life with Jeffrey Wright starring as Basquiat and David Bowie as Warhol.

He met his lifelong friend and mentor Andy Warhol in 1981 at late-night hotspot Mr. Chow's. Swiss dealer Bruno Bischofberger later suggested the two collaborate on a series of paintings, and between 1983 and 1985 the pair made works that layered Basquiat’s virtuosic graffiti scrawl over Warhol’s bright Pop imagery.

Madonna and Basquiat dated in 1982.

He produced a rap record with Rammellzee and K Robb titled Beat Bop (1983) and designed the cover for the single.

In 1980 he appeared in music video for Blondie’s song “Rapture”.

Other Neo-Expressionists: Julian Schnabel, Kenny Scarf and Francesco Clemente