Who was Jean Michel Basquiat and what did he do?
Jean-Michel Basquiat is considered to be one of the most influential African-American artists of the late twentieth century. While his impact upon art cannot be denied, he also led a short life with a rather tragic ending. Let us look at a brief biography of his art as well as his life. Basquiat was born on 22 December 1960 in Brooklyn, New York.
What’s the highest price ever paid for a Basquiat painting?
In 2017, after having set Basquiat’s auction record the previous year with a $57.3 million purchase, the Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa surpassed it, buying the artist’s Untitled (1982) at Sotheby’s for $110.5 million. This set a new record for the highest price ever paid at auction for an American artist’s work.
How did Andy Warhol’s death affect Jean Michel Basquiat?
Unfortunately, this was also the same time that Basquiat was becoming highly addicted to heroin. Many contemporaries observe that the death of Andy Warhol in 1987 had a profound effect upon the demeanour and emotional state of Basquiat. He became depressed more frequently and as a result, his use of heroin increased.
Jean-Michel Basquiat ( French: [ʒɑ̃ miʃɛl baskija]; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent. Basquiat first achieved fame as part of SAMO, an informal graffiti duo who wrote enigmatic epigrams in the cultural hotbed of the Lower East Side…
Which is the most expensive painting by Jean Michel Basquiat?
At a Sotheby’s auction in May 2017, Untitled, a 1982 painting by Basquiat depicting a black skull with red and yellow rivulets, sold for $110.5 million, becoming one of the most expensive paintings ever purchased. It also set a new record high for an American artist at auction.
Why was Jean Michel Basquiat pigeon holed as a black artist?
Basquiat’s use of imagery and motifs suggestive of African art made it easy to stereotype him as a black artist but he was keen to be known simply as an artist. This antagonism between how he wanted to present himself and how he was pigeon-holed by others is documented through his work.
How did Jean Michel Basquiat meet Diego Cortez?
At the Mudd Club, Basquiat meets Diego Cortez, an artist and filmmaker, who knows people within and outside of the East Village club scene. Cortez takes a liking to Basquiat’s work, sells some drawings, and eventually shows the work to art dealers.