Jean-Michel Basquiat Beautiful Soul

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in 1960, December 22, In Brooklyn New York, Basquait was an American neo- expressionism artist, he expressed himself through his paintings which were very poetic mixed with graffiti accents. His Art career begin in NYC in the mid 1970s. Basquiat was fluent in french, Spanish and English, due to his Hatian and Puerto Rican background. Basquiat started his graffiti art in the streets, putting his works of art on buildings and subway carts, early in his career he went by the name SAMO (Same Old Shit). Basquiat was determined to make it, left high school and started living with a friend, selling his art on t-shirts and post cards. In the 1980s Basquiats art became publicly known, and the Radiant Child was born, Basquiat became famous. Basquiat exhibited his art all over New York City and Europe. Around 1983 Baquiat became really good friends with Andy Warhol and collaborated on many pieces that became the trendy pop art that graces our living room walls and gallerys today. With Basquiat new fame and fortune a down side of drugs and the fast life began. Basquiat had many lovers, the most famous and pop icon, Madonna, begin dating Basquait and had a hot love affair for some time, while still in a relationship with long term girlfriend Suzane Malouk, which heated up some drama between Basquiat and Madonna.

• The Copy Right Symbol: (C) Basquiat often used this symbol in his work to show a sign of ownership, he also randomly used the Notary Seal as well.
• The Hobo sign: Symbolizes being homeless, and it's a sign that homeless often used to communicate with one another, but for Basquiat, it also meant, "You'll get cursed out"
• The Crown: That's often used in his paintings, represented himself, and if the crown is placed on others, it represented respect and admiration for the other person he referred to in his work..
• The Lineage sign: Is a symbol for his family life, but also means "Man Dies"

* I wanted to be a star, not a gallery mascot!

* I am not a black artist, I am an artist

* I thought In was going to be a bum for the rest of my life

* Believe it or not, I can actually draw

* I start a picture and i finish it

* Since I was 17 I thought I might be a star, Id think about all my hero's, Charlie Parker, jimi Hendrix...I had a romantic feeling about how these people became famous.

* I don't think about art when im working, I try to think about life.

* I had some money, I made the best paintings ever. I was completely reclusive, worked a lot, took a lot of drugs, I was awful to people.

* I don't listen to what art critics say. I don't know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is.

A Major resource used though out Basquiats career was the Grays Anatomy book, which his mother gave him while recovering an injury in the hospital as a little boy. This book influenced him most and the anatomical drawings and prints can be found in his paintings. Basquiat started an experimental rock group in 1981, Basquiat named the industrial/electronic band GRAY, after Grays Anatomy. Gray preformed at the Mudd Club and also Hurrahs in New York City where the popular Blondie use to preform. Basquiat referred to his own music as, "abrasive, incomplete, and oddly beautiful".Gray is also featured in the film Downtown 81, using 4 powerful songs on the soundtrack.