BlackStory: The Prince of the Night: Jean Michel Basquiat

In 1960 Jean- Micheal Basquiat was born to Afro Puerto Rican mother and Haitian father. From a young age his parents encouraged him to express himself in art. Young Basquiat was a member of the Brooklyn Museum at the age of six. Guernica painted by Picasso inspired him to become an artist. JMB began drawing comics. At the age of seven he was hit by a car and had his spleen removed. During his recovery in the hospital his mother Maltida gave Jean- Michel the book Gray's Anatomy written by Henry Gray to read which gives us insight to the education he was receiving in his middle class home. JMB spoke four languages Spanish, French, Creole and English. By the time JMB was a teenager he felt repressed by his upbringing which probably was due to his fathers wishes of him being the perfect gentleman.

By the age of sixteen Jean-Michel was running away from home taking refuge in the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Al Diaz his partner in crime and Basquiat sprayed their SAMO grafitti all over New York City. Grafitti was a popular way for the urban youth to express their desires and frustrations. Diaz and Basquiat's grafitti was different being comprised of controversial social commentary and esoteric expressions. They became immediately popular for standing out among the tags with their philosophy. The SoHo news ran a wanted ad to identify the "SAMO" artist instead Basquiat and Diaz sold their story to the Village Voice for $100 bucks. Shortly after "Samo is Dead" begin to pop up after Al Diaz decided to fall back because he saw Jean- Michel as being an opportunist.

Young Basquiat with his signature crown beware of the rip offs

Jean- Michel stated that he always wanted to be famous and rode being discovered as SAMO throughout the village. He made his first television appearance on a popular public access program alone to discuss the work of SAMO. JMB made sure he was seen in night life. Hanging with Fab Five Freddy and many other starving artist. Lower manhattan was his playground and he was unashamed to be an opportunist.  JMB started a band named 'GRAY' along with Micheal Holman, Vince Gallo, Wayne Clifford, Nick Taylor named after the Henry Gray book given to him to read during his recovery.  They all were untrained in the instruments they chose to play however they pulled the girls and huge crowds. It was experimental electronica music.  In New York City during this epoch it was cool to be idiosyncratic and derelict. Everyone was a starving budding artist which many would change their "occupations" with their moods. This was an energetic and creative time for many NYC youths both native and foreign all meeting to influence a change and challenge the game. The Bohemian way of life was a must. Eccentricity was the ticket to the hottest clubs and parties. Most had no money, hopping the turnstyles living hand to mouth. It was a time of excitement and exploration that has not been seen in Lower Manhattan since. It was a renaissance of individuality and the freedom to express yourself as you were.

Jean- Michel's Band 'GRAY'   

The underground was coming up. Jean-Micheal Basquiat needed to eat. He began to create art on T-shirts, Sweatshirts and post cards which became popular. At the age of eighteen Jean- Michel approached Andy Warhol and Henry Geldzahler as they dined at a SoHo restaurant and peddled his post cards to them. Geldzahler bought a couple and declared them "young" art and dismissed Basquiat. Nevertheless he was excited and saw it as precursor to his success. The prince of the night continue to reign the subculture of the underground making his rounds to every note worthy event to rub shoulders with the art elite, the young and the restless. 1981 was the year he made the breakthrough he desired. JMB was invited by his friend artist and filmmaker Diego Cortez to participate in the P.S. 1 show along with twenty other contemporary artist including Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethrope, and Kenny Sharf.  Jean- Michel had a warm reception and was immediately recognize as one of the rising stars. Rene Richard published an article in the " Art Forum" magazine titled "The Radiant Child" which brought Jean- Michel to the attention of the VIPs of the art world.  Annina Nosei was one of the art elite who took notice.

Jean- Michel and Keith Harring sharing the love 

Annina Nosei and Basquiat 

Basquiat became an overnight success with a one- man show at Annina Nosei's gallery.  He was catapulted to the top of the "Neo- expressionist movement". That was followed be another one artist exhibition at Larry Gagosion's gallery. JMB was setting a precedent with his entrance to this world of fame and greed. He was becoming famous for being famous. From Blondie videos to Madonna's bed he was enjoying the lavish lifestyle of a rock star.  Jean- Michel was God in his realm creating his own rules and manifesting his own destiny through  the strokes of his brush.  The notoriety continued with his contribution to the "1983 Biennial Exhibition" at the Whitney Museum Of American Art.  Andy Warhol was interested, he reached out to Basquiat becoming his close friend and mentor. The relationship was controversial and many thought Warhol of being a social vampire sucking on Basquiat's popularity to make himself relevant again.  The two icons decided to do a collaboration to no critical acclaim. Despite the whispers and hate they stayed close friends until Warhol's death in 87'.

Clip from the Blondie 'Rapture' video  

By the 1984 Jean- Michel was adored, loved and celebrated. Granting all this he was beginning to use drugs excessively. JMB appearance became unkempt and he was in a constant state of paranoia.  Truth be told that the paranoia was not all drugs it was due to the fact that "friends" were stealing his art from him home and art dealers were stealing unfinished works from his studio.  He was surrounded by a lot of smiling faces that he could not trust who were more then willing to take advantage of his generosity and his drug induced black outs.
Everyone wanted a piece, I dont think its possible to split your spirit in that many ways, it evidently took a toll on him in every way without the evidence of many "friends" stepping up for an intervention.  Early the following year Basquiat hit the pinnacle of his notoriety with appearing on the cover of "The New York Times Magazine". He was the center of writer Cathleen Mcguigan's titled essay "New Art, New Money: The Marketing Of An American Artist". Later that year he joined "The Queen of the art scene" with his exhibition at the Mary Boone gallery.

New York Times

Jean- Michel Basquiat had the opportunity to go to Africa to for an exhibition in Abidjan, Ivory Coast which was an honor being of African descent.  At twenty five Basquiat was the youngest artist ever given an exhibition at the prestigious Kestner Gesellschaft  gallery in Hannover, Germany. There were more than sixty paintings and drawings exhibited. Later on in the year Andy Warhol passed pushing Jean- Michel into depression and deeper into drug use. Who he mostly identified with was gone forever.

Andy Warhol and Jean-Micheal Basquiat
Dos Cabezas 1982

The funny story behind this painting is that Basquiat was so enamored with  Warhol that during lunch at a mutual friend's house Basquiat jumped up and declared he had to go immediately. He returned twenty minutes later with this painting. Warhol admitted that he was jealous because Basquiat was faster then him beginning a inseparable companionship. 

Basquiat wanted time and space to heal and kick his heroin habit, he escaped to his house in Hawaii.  After nearly a year JMB came back declaring sobriety. August 12th, 1988 a couple of his friends came by to make sure that their later engagement to attend a Run DMC concert was still on. Jean- Michel's girlfriend went upstairs to find him unresponsive with vomit pooled around his chin. He was rushed to the the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.  The world lost a genius, a free spirit that needed to fly away. This dimension was too dense and could never give him the freedom he was searching for.

Fallen Angel 1981 

I had the opportunity to see Jean- Michel Basquiat's paintings and drawings at the Brooklyn Museum a few years back.  I was inspired to be free and experience life more spiritually. In his work I see the breakdown of who he was, his inner demons and the beautiful spirit that yearned to break free of its physical existence. Through his work I saw that he was transparent if you took the time to notice him bearing his fragile heart to all. I saw the emotional turmoil and his triumphs. I saw the breakdown of his existence and the skeletons in his closet. This man was truly a genius. A king worth his signature crown. A star in every sense that burn out too soon. But somehow I feel he left complete as I also feel despite his shy demeanor he is an old soul. Beautiful, wild at heart and sincere. Jean- Michel Basquiat is an honorary UrbanHaute and we honor him today, tomorrow and forever.

Self Portrait as a Heel: Current Price tag 5,906,500
*Seriously*

Cabeza 1982

Untitled (known as Head) 1981
One of my personal favorites

Photographed at Club Mudd where he hung out with the likes of Grace Jones, Debra Harry, Madonna, etc.

Jean- Michel Basquiat Dec. 22, 1960- Aug. 12, 1988