8 Facts About Jean-Michel Basquiat's Life and Art

Jean-Michel Basquiat, born in December 1960 in New York to a Haitian father and Puerto Rican mother, was a Neo-Expressionist painter who spoke English, Spanish, and French. As a child, a car accident led to the removal of his spleen; his mother gave him Gray's Anatomy, which influenced his art. He was homeless for several years after being kicked out by his father, joining the Downtown New York underground and creating SAMO graffiti. Basquiat dated Madonna and collaborated with Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. He was the only Black star in a white art environment, addressing racial issues in works like Irony of a Negro Policeman. He was difficult to work with, changing galleries often and refusing deadlines. His art explored fame and power, referencing figures like Joe Louis. Basquiat died of a heroin and cocaine overdose in 1988, but his bold, chaotic style continues to influence contemporary painting.