Jean-Michel Basquiat was an artist who started in the streets of New York. His young life was tough – he was homeless and often slept in his friend’s houses or wandered around in parks alone. The only income he had was from illegal activity, begging and selling art at every opportunity he had. He, however, died as a big, talented artist, significantly appreciated in art history.
Basquiat was born in Brooklyn in 1960.He never went to art school, instead he learned all that he knew from looking at paintings. An event that inspired Jean-Michel’s artistic career was a car crash that happened at the age of 8. He underwent surgery and had to remove his spleen. His mother, wanting to console her distressed son, gave him a copy of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ to read. Through this book, Basquiat gained knowledge of sinews, skulls and human anatomy in general. It is obvious from future works how much of an impact this book had on him.
Basquiat would often visit downtown clubs at the start of his career. There, he met Keith Haring, a friend yet notable rival of his. Both would combat for more imaginative, unique and ambitious projects. Haring and Basquiat both progressed and eventually reached fame in the artistic world. However, Keith Haring displayed art in museums whilst Basquiat was denied an opportunity to do so – an event that enraged Basquiat. It is important to focus on the differences between them and the contrast in how they were treated. Jean-Michel once told Vanity Fair that people still saw him as a graffiti artist whilst his opponent had outgrown that title. Through many of his works, he showed such racism. Basquiat was often not allowed access to fancy restaurants and would be refused rides in cabs. All these events outraged the young artist.
Despite all the ill treatment he received, Basquiat still painted and shone. Through his work he would paint different scenes. As he gained more and more attention, pressure to make greater works rose. Basquiat, however, was not fazed. His work continued to express his opinions, often showing black history and racial statements. He would put poorer, less favourable characters centre-stage. All of his works were done in his studio which was crowded with articles and newspapers from which he would get his quotes and inspiration.
Like most artists, his life came to a halting end. Dead at 27, his career was cut short. As Keith Haring perfectly stated in his obituary, ‘Greedily, we wonder what else he might have created, what masterpieces we have been cheated out of by his death, but the fact is that he has created enough work to intrigue generations to come.” His death occurred one year after the death of his friend, Andy Warhol.
In an interview, when the artist was asked why he was so angry, Basquiat went speechless, overpowered with emotion. His life was tough: full of struggle, addiction and racist treatment. But, when he died, he was given a nickname that reflected his art perfectly: The Radiant Child.
