Roger Guenveur Smith's One-Man Show Honors Jean-Michel Basquiat at New York Theatre Workshop
Running until 10 October at the New York Theatre Workshop, Roger Guenveur Smith's solo show, In Honour of Jean-Michel Basquiat, delves into his bond with Basquiat through a blend of spoken word and live sound crafted by Marc Anthony Thompson. Set close to Basquiat's old studio, the performance recounts stories from their interactions in the 1980s Los Angeles club scene, including a moment when Basquiat wore a Confederate-flag jacket. Smith links Basquiat's experiences to significant historical moments, such as their spleen removals in 1968 and the artist's passing on 12 August 1988, which coincided with a fire at the Empire State Building. Thompson's sound design incorporates jazz classics and alludes to Basquiat's artwork, prioritizing auditory elements to capture his artistic essence.
Key facts
- In Honour of Jean-Michel Basquiat is a one-man show written and performed by Roger Guenveur Smith at New York Theatre Workshop, running until 10 October.
- The production is staged near Basquiat's final studio at 57 Great Jones Street, which was rented to him by Andy Warhol.
- Smith met Basquiat in the 1980s Los Angeles club scene and later portrayed Smiley in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do the Right Thing, inspired by Basquiat.
- Both Basquiat and Andy Warhol had their spleens removed in 1968; Basquiat was hit by a car in Brooklyn, and Warhol was shot by Valerie Solanas.
- Basquiat was born on 22 December 1960, days after a mid-air plane collision over Staten Island; he died on 12 August 1988, the same day as an Empire State Building fire.
- The show references Basquiat's works Defacement (The Death of Michael Stewart) (1983), The Pilgrimage (1982), Bird on Money (1981), and a 1982 skull painting that sold for $110.5m at Sotheby's in 2017.
- Marc Anthony Thompson provides live, improvised sound design, incorporating music by Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Max Roach, Nat King Cole, Count Basie, and Billie Holiday.
- Basquiat had an experimental punk band called Gray, named after Gray's Anatomy, a book his mother gave him during his recovery from a splenectomy.
Entities
Artists
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Roger Guenveur Smith
- Andy Warhol
- Valerie Solanas
- Marc Anthony Thompson
- Spike Lee
- Huey P. Newton
- Rodney King
- Michael Stewart
- Charles Mingus
- John Coltrane
- Eric Dolphy
- Max Roach
- Nat King Cole
- Count Basie
- Billie Holiday
- Charlie Parker
- Eartha Kitt
Institutions
- New York Theatre Workshop
- Sotheby's
- Green-wood Cemetery
- Gray
Locations
- Brooklyn
- United States
- Manhattan
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Staten Island
- Park Slope
- Venice Beach
- 57 Great Jones Street
- Empire State Building