Jean-Michel Basquiat

United States • 1960 - 1988
 1834 followers

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  • Biography
  • Exhibitions
  • Movements

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Print, 50 Cent Piece, Jean-Michel Basquiat

50 Cent Piece

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Print - 73.7 x 100.3 x 2.5 cm Print - 29 x 39.5 x 1 inch

$45,000

Design, Skull (after), Jean-Michel Basquiat

Skull (after)

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Design - 80.5 x 20.5 x 1.2 cm Design - 31.7 x 8.1 x 0.5 inch

$638

Print, Untitled III (from The Figure portfolio), Jean-Michel Basquiat

Untitled III (from The Figure portfolio)

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Print - 122 x 81 x 2.54 cm Print - 48 x 31.9 x 1 inch

$65,000

Design, Untitled (Face), 1982 (after Jean-Michel Basquiat), Jean-Michel Basquiat

Untitled (Face), 1982 (after Jean-Michel Basquiat)

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Design - 80.5 x 20.5 x 1.2 cm Design - 31.7 x 8.1 x 0.5 inch

$638

Design, Pez Dispenser 1984 (after Jean-Michel Basquiat), Jean-Michel Basquiat

Pez Dispenser 1984 (after Jean-Michel Basquiat)

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Design - 80.5 x 20.5 x 1.2 cm Design - 31.7 x 8.1 x 0.5 inch

$290

Print, Untitled IV (from The Figure portfolio), Jean-Michel Basquiat

Untitled IV (from The Figure portfolio)

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Print - 122 x 81 x 2.54 cm Print - 48 x 31.9 x 1 inch

Sold

Design, Skateroom, Jean-Michel Basquiat

Skateroom

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Design - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Design - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

Sold

Design, Irony of negro policeman (after Jean-Michel Basquiat), Jean-Michel Basquiat

Irony of negro policeman (after Jean-Michel Basquiat)

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Design - 80.5 x 20.5 x 1.2 cm Design - 31.7 x 8.1 x 0.5 inch

Sold

I don't think about art when I'm working. I try to think about life.

Biography

Marked by a lightning ascent but also its brevity, Jean-Michel Basquiat's career is more sporty rather than that of a traditional artist. Son of a Haitian father and Puertorican mother, he was born in 1960 in Brooklyn, Basquiat died at the age of 28 in 1988 in New York.

Quickly, he was considered as a gifted child, he could read and write at the age of four and was already speaking three languages at the age of eight. Entirely self-taught, Basquiat came across art thanks to his mother, who made him discover the MoMA. He dropped out of school at an early age. Instead of going to school, Basquiat took over the walls of Manhattan 1976 onwards with two of his friends who were graffiti artisits, Al Diaz and Shannon Dawson. Together, they signed under the name (Same old shit) and accompanied this with a crown and a copyright symbol.

He acquired knowledge through all sorts of popular references, Hitchcock movies to automobiles, not to mention comic books. He was a quick learner and absorbed the context easily, he was influenced by the news especially the one covering the war, exposing arms and media and placed Nixon in the limelight. The messages triggered by Basquiat and his graffiti artist friends were anti-system, anti-religion and anti-political.

It was only in 1979 that Basquiat created his first work, at the Li Kignodesse studio. His life was shaken up a year later. He met Andy Warhol and they created many works together. Basquiat participated at the collective exhibition at Times Square show and became famous. He received one offer after the other and exhibited with Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and Robert Mapplethorpe during the New-York/New Wave event.

In 1982, he had six solo exhibitions throughout the world and was the youngest artist who participated in the Documenta de Kassel. He was also present for the Biennial of Whitney Museum of American Art in 1983 at the age of 23. This is when Jean-Michel Basquiat created and established his emblematic pattern, a black figure which was heroic through with a three pointed crown.

At the age of 28, Basquiat had created 800 paintings and 1500 drawings and died due to an overdose, as he wasn't able to get rid of his addiction.

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Need to know more?
What is Jean-Michel Basquiat’s artistic movement?
The artistic movements of the artists are: Black Painters, Provocative Artists, Afrofuturism, American Icons, Famous Black Artists, Harlem Renaissance, Neo-expressionism
When was Jean-Michel Basquiat born?
The year of birth of the artist is: 1960