Inspired by Basquiat

A legend of the late 20th century and an emblematic figure of the “Bad Painting" movement in 1980s America, Jean-Michel Basquiat is considered to be one of the pioneers of street art. He died on the 12th August 1988, after injecting himself with a fatal dose of “speedball" (a mix of heroin and cocaine). His death was a devastating loss for the art world given his glory and talent. But even after a whirlwind career lasting only 8 years, Jean Michel Basquiat left behind an incredible catalog of artwork including more than a thousand paintings and eight thousand drawings. Accompanied by his friend, Al Diaz, Basquiat's graffiti career begins in the streets. His famous acronym “SAMO" (same old shit) was present across the walls of New York, highlighting the difficult beginning to his career. Without a fixed address, he sold drawings and t-shirts to support himself financially, before mixing with the New York elite which includes his faithful friend Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Madonna, and Blondie.

There are a multitude of influences in Basquiat's work, including his Black and Hispanic background, games from his childhood and images of the streets and surrounding buildings. His art is also influenced by mythology, voodoo, the Bible, and the comics and cartoons he devoured as a child. As a contemporary to Pop art's master Andy Warhol, he also makes references to advertising, consumption, or the media. Like many other artistic prodigies, Basquiat was sensitive and neurotic. With regards to his pictorial style, he expresses his feelings through his paintings which vary between representations of gaunt portraits, mask-like faces, and paintings filled with falsely imperfect drawings.

Whether it's in the works of recognized or emerging artists, references to Basquiat are very much present in contemporary art. Here are some artists who know how to pay tribute to the master of Bad Painting.