Today marks 36 years since the death of legendary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1988. Coincidentally, like many of history's greatest artists and musicians, Basquiat joined the "27 Club" upon his untimely death, joining the ranks of Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison. Like other members of the "27 Club," Basquiat's work left a lasting posthumous legacy that is still relevant in 2024's art world.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Basquiat was immersed in the city's art scene from a young age, with his mother taking him to local art galleries and encouraging him to draw his favourite cartoons. As a teenager, Basquiat enrolled in an alternative arts school in Manhattan, where he would illustrate the school's newspaper. While at school, he developed his graffiti tag pseudonym "SAMO," which he would use when spray painting buildings in the Manhattan area, leading him to befriend other artists studying at The School of Visual Arts like Keith Haring. It was during this period that Basquiat was expelled from his school for throwing a pie in his principal's face, showing his rebellious personality even as a teenager. A year later, Basquiat formed the noise rock band Gray, who played iconic New York punk venue CBGB. Basquiat would later leave the band in 1981 to focus more on his rising art career.
Basquiat in his band Gray, 1980
Basquiat's work as an artist gained attention and success from his participation in The Times Square Show in 1980, and the New York/New Wave exhibition in 1981, leading to his first extensive article by critic René Ricard for Artforum magazine. He sold his first painting, 'Cadilliac Moon', in the same year to Debbie Harry of punk band Blondie and also appeared in the music video for their song "Rapture," showing the connection his artwork had and still continues to have with the alternative music scene.
Basquiat with Debbie Harry, 1986
In 1982, Basquiat would meet Andy Warhol for the first time, painting Dos Cabezas of the two, which ignited a long-lasting friendship between the artists. Basquiat was also inspired by artist Robert Rauschenberg, who won a Grammy Award for his artwork on Talking Heads' album Speaking in Tongues. While attending his show in West Hollywood, Basquiat was accompanied by his girlfriend, the singer Madonna, who was then unknown. Basquiat interestingly stated, "She's going to be huge," foreshadowing her future fame.
Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and Basquiat
Basquiat's work quickly escalated in the mid-1980s, with collaborations with Andy Warhol, appearing in GQ, and walking the runway for Comme Des Garçon's New York fashion show. However, it was around this time that his drug use grew, with his social group speculating that Basquiat felt pressured to be a black man in a very white-dominated art industry. It could have also been a coping mechanism after the death of Andy Warhol in 1987. Ultimately, Basquiat died of an overdose at the age of 27, with his funeral being attended by art friends like Keith Haring, who later created a painting tribute entitled A Pile of Crowns for Jean-Michel Basquiat. Haring stated in his obituary for Vogue that "[Basquiat] truly created a lifetime of works in ten years.
Untitled (Boxer), 1982
Despite his short career in the art world, Basquiat made an impact through his direct social commentary, criticising colonialism and focusing on issues like poverty. His diverse heritage also inspired the Spanish titles of his works and the celebration of African-American history, with The New York Times indicating that Basquiat was "the most famous of only a small number of young black artists who have achieved national recognition." His legacy still lives on today, with his work being noted as an influence on contemporary artists like Banksy and numerous fashion houses like Dr. Martens and Coach featuring his work. In 2020, it was evident how New York is still home to Basquiat's legacy when NY indie band The Strokes used his painting Bird on Money (1981) as the cover art for their album The New Abnormal.
'The New Abnormal' by The Strokes (2020) featuring 'Bird on Money' (1981)
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