Basquiat Jean-Michel

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) is an American artist. Born in New York City. Originally, he was very famous as a graffiti artist, and in the 1980s, as a very successful neo-expressionist. His mother was from Puerto Rico, and his father had Haitian roots. Jean-Michel spoke fluent French, Spanish and English from childhood, read books, including poetry of the symbolists, myths and history. In the late 1970s, Basque leaves his home, lives with friends, makes a living selling t-shirts and postcards. With friends, he organizes a group of Gray who plays in various clubs in Manhattan. Participates in The Times Square Show, a collective exhibition of artists (1980). Poet and art critic Rene Ricard published an article on Basque "The Radiant Child" in the ArtForum magazine (1981), which contributed greatly to the international career of the artist. Since 1982 Basque has been regularly exhibited with Julian Schnabel, David Salle, Francesco Clemente and Enzo Kucci, a group of artists, which art critics, curators and collectors will soon be called non-expresionists. In 1982, Bascaya became acquainted with Andy Worgl and they created a lot of collaborative work. They worked together, influenced each other's creativity. The creativity of Basque can be divided into three periods. From 1980 to 1982, he depicted skeletons and masked faces, in which the unusual curiosity of death is expressed. Other commonly used images: automobiles, buildings, police, children's play on the sidewalk and graffiti, which were a reflection of his drawing experience on the streets of the city. The middle period, from the end of 1982 to 1985, is marked by the interest of Basque in its Haitian roots. The last period, from 1986 to death in 1988, has been marked by a new style and new images.