Jean-Michel Basquiat- Biography, Artworks, Famous Paintings and Facts

Few lives were as haunting and explosive to the art community as that of Jean-Michel Basquiat. A neo-expressionist artist focused on street art and graffiti; Jean-Michel Basquiat died at the young age of 27. Yet, like many short-lived artists, his fame rose even after his death — securing his place in history.

The Beginning

Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, to a father of Haitian descent and a mother of Puerto-Rican descent. His later works would celebrate American, Haitian, and Puerto-Rican culture. They also explored some of the darker areas of society, such as class inequality and struggle.

Education

Basquiat’s talent afforded him enrollment in a private art school at an incredibly young age. While he excelled at school, his home life was tumultuous. He ran away at the age of 15, albeit briefly.

In school, Basquiat began exploring the call of street art and graffiti. He began working with a friend under the pseudonym “SAMO.” At 17, he dropped out of school and left his family home, and continued to experiment with street art. By 1980, he started to acquire critical acclaim. He was only 19 years old.

Famous Works

Basquiat’s first commercial painting was Cadillac Moon. It was produced and sold in 1981 to Debbie Harry (of Blondie) for $200. At the time, Basquiat was being financially supported by his girlfriend, a waitress. But he soon gained steam in the art scene and things began to change.

The following two years were full of exhibitions. This is where the young artist met Andy Warhol in 1982, following his first solo show.

In 1983, Basquiat began dating the then-unknown singer Madonna. He often told people “she’s going to be huge.” That same year, he became the youngest artist to represent the United States in a major art exhibit — The Whitney Biennial. He also produced a rap single and became influenced by police brutality. He painted Defacement (The Death of Michael Stewart) after the September killing.

By 1985, Basquiat had secured his fame. He was oftentimes seen in paint-splattered Armani suits and featured on the cover of magazines. In a few short years, he had gone from relative obscurity to the name of modern art. But he had also become addicted to cocaine and heroin. Peers suggested that this was due to dealing with his newfound fame, as well as his place in the world, and the nature of the art industry itself.

Friends attempted to get Basquiat into a methadone program. But Basquiat’s drug addiction continued to influence his future. He became reclusive following the death of Andy Warhol in 1987.

In 1988, he traveled to Maui and reported that he had kicked his drug addiction. Unfortunately, he died of a heroin overdose a few months later. Basquiat’s death was mourned by the entire art community.

Art Reproduction Mediums

Basquiat, during his career, was awfully prolific. He created around 1500 drawings and 600 paintings, making him imminently collectible. He was one of the earliest “street artists” and “neo-expressionists” to become popular, marking a radical shift within the art scene at the time.

Some of his most famous paintings include Untitled (Skull) from 1981 (with significant Haitian influence) and Slave Auction (1982), about America’s dark past.

Basquiat’s work has been collected by David Bowie, Lars Ulrich, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z, and, of course, Madonna. Pieces of his have been sold for up to $110.5 million (a record-breaking sum) in 2017 when an art collector purchased Untitled (Skull).

Those who love Basquiat speak to the eloquence and simplicity by which he displayed emotion, color palettes, and unrestrained use of line, shape, and composition. His admirers describe him as having “a highly individualistic, expressive view of the world”

Critics find Basquiat noisy and random, describing him as chaotic. Some divisive commentary described him as a “talentless hustler”. Regardless, by the time of Basquiat’s death, everyone was talking about him.

Whether you want a particular piece of artwork by Basquiat or would like to see what else our gallery offers in Basquiat’s auction, please contact us. We are happy to answer any questions and help you find the artwork you are looking for.

Originally published at https://www.danefineart.com on December 19, 2020.