Contrary artist of the streets with his out-of-the-box style: Who is Jean-Michel Basquiat?

With his political stance and unique style, he created many unforgettable works during his 27-year journey from the New York subway to stylish galleries.

Basquiat's Early Period

Born in 1960 to a Puerto Rican mother and a Haitian father, Basquiat's artistic talent showed itself at an early age. His mother encouraged his interest in art, taking him to New York's great art museums. Basquiat learned art not at school, but during these museum tours. He moved from New York when his parents divorced and lived in Puerto Rico from 1974 to 1976. The hospitalization of his mother, who suffered from psychological disorders during this period, deeply affected the young Basquiat.

Basquiat on the Street: SAMO and Graffiti

Returning to New York in 1976, he enrolled in school, where he met Al Diaz, whom he would later become close friends with. Soon after, he left school, which he could not adapt to, and left home. During this period, he began graffitiing the streets of New York with Al Diaz, using the pseudonym SAMO. He was criticizing what was going on around him with the persona he created. His graffiti had two distinctive features: poetry and unprecedented symbols.

The emergence of graffiti in cities took place through wars and revolutions. Graffiti, which remained in the background in many periods of history, started to rise in America at the end of the 1960s and became an effective means of expression for those who wanted to have their voice heard.

Basquiat became a distinctive figure of the East Coast in the late '70s. Working alone or in a collective, the artist formed a rock band during this period and participated in independent film studies. The absence of black artists in the art community of the period was one of the factors that fed Basquiat's search for identity and expressionist art.

The Rise of Your Career

“Believe it or not, I can really draw.”

The artist's career took off after 1980, and he was now known as a painter. During the revival of Expressionist painting, it began to shine on the art scene and showed up in its first official exhibition, The Times Square Show. During this period, he succeeded in making his name known by attracting the attention of famous names one after the other. His meeting with the art critic Rene Richard was very influential in his recognition and appreciation of the art world. Richard spoke highly of the artist in his article published in Artforum magazine. During this period, Basquiat participated in important exhibitions with his works and received large commissions from gallerists. The real turning point in his career was 1982 when he met the collector Bruno Bischofberger. Bischofberger introduced Basquiat to popular art prodigy Andy Warhol, opening the door to new opportunities for him.

The Golden Years: Basquiat and Warhol

Basquiat actually met Warhol before he rose to fame. Young Basquiat, who encountered Warhol while he was selling postcards he had made on the streets, caught Warhol's attention with his work. The real meeting of the two took place in Warhol's workshop, Fabrika, in 1982. Basquiat, who went to the Factory for a photo shoot through Bruno Bischofberger, once again managed to impress Warhol. Basquiat's talent and unique style both amazed and envied Warhol.

Warhol soon became Basquiat's mentor, close friend, and rival. The two inspire each other, and Basquiat was frequently mentioned in Warhol's diary. Their collaboration brought together Warhol's famous pop art technique with Basquiat's unconventional and unpredictable approach. One of their best-known collaborators was “Ten Punching Bags (Last Supper)”, in which they brought a scathing critique of art world oppression. As Basquiat rose to fame, rumors began to spread in the media that Warhol was using Basquiat. This situation caused tension between the two and their relationship was never the same again.

Basquiat and Madonna

Madonna and Basquiat met when they were both just beginning to taste fame. Madonna was trying to make her name in the music industry as Basquiat stepped from the streets of Manhattan into stylish galleries. Basquiat often went to exhibitions with Madonna and introduced his to artists. Basquiat also had a drug problem, which ended their relationship. In their relationship, Madonna said, “He was an incredible man and he was so talented, I admired him. But heroin was always in his life.” When they broke up, Basquiat took back the pictures he had made for the Madonna and painted them completely black.

The Decline of Jean-Michel Basquiat

“I wanted to be a star, not a gallery mascot.”

Basquiat, who rose rapidly in the art community, began to be crushed under the burden of fame at the end of the 80s. The fact that he could not adapt to the competitive environment brought by capitalism, the problems he experienced in his private life and the death of Warhol caused the artist to withdraw into himself.

Why Did Jean-Michel Basquiat Die?

Unable to get rid of drugs in his life, Basquiat succumbed to his battle with addiction and died at the age of 27 due to an overdose.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Works and Style

The prominent themes in Basquiat's works were racism, urban life, the realities of the street, and death. What made him unique was his wild, chaotic, yet childlike style.

The artist was criticizing the discrimination against the black community with his political stance and his unique style. He conveyed his hatred of racism in his works with successful symbolism and expressionism. Motifs and important figures of black culture have always been a source of inspiration for the artist. In an interview he gave in 1986, he mentioned that black culture was not adequately represented in the art world. One of his works, in which his black identity came to the fore, was the Slave Auction.

The years 1986-1988 were the darkest period of the artist. His obsession with death was evident in his works. Basquiat used techniques he had never tried in his previous works and frequently included skeletal figures. Warhol's death, the effects of drugs, and the depression he was in were reflected in his work in this way.

Basquiat's versatile art has inspired many artists. His view of the world and his criticisms came to life in his works. His art was the most powerful tool of his struggle. In his eight-year career in which he rose rapidly, he never broke his stance, which does not fit into the stereotypes, and became the voice of the excluded and minorities.