Week 11-Artist OTW

Information :

Artist: Jean-Michel Basquiat

Art: Abstract art and neo-expressionism

Media: http://www.basquiat.com/artist.htm#

I will be talking about the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, an artist who was born in Brooklyn, New York but eventually moved to Manhattan as he got older. He gained attention in the late 1970s by having the word SAMO displayed all over the urban neighborhoods. He would sell his painting since they gained attention from his apartment. His art was based on his environment that was observed and then would show it through his paintings. He would show his art down to its core meaning. He was praised by many because of his art shining a light on racism and the black community since he was of Haitian descent.

Basquiat’s paintings were very abstract but we’re full of color. One painting that caught my eye was the Melting point of Ice. His painting had the Rx abbreviation which is in connection to the medical field along with the word’s “protection” and “healing”. This type of art he used is called Neo-Expressionism which expressed social protest, expression, rage with bright colors, and multicomponent textures, they painted on every accessible surface — from traditional canvas to city building walls. The majority of art was based on neo-expressionism and usually had faces of people looking prehistoric with unusually shaped heads with very distinct and exaggerated facial features. There are colors such as red, white, black, blue, green, teal, yellow, and much more. Each of his paintings I observed had a variety of colors used to express himself. He definitely is an artist who is not mainstream and common like other artists. I can see and feel the uniqueness of his art.

I believe that Basquiat’s art is very spiritual. He began to tie the spiritual and emotional aspects of himself in his art. His art was meant to break through the norms of society and dig deep into the deeper meanings of fundamental truths. Based on his art you can see Basquiat came to many relations of his career. He came up with 5 terms that transformed his art over a 20 years span. They were Acque Pericolose (1981), Per Capita (1981), Notary (1983), La Colomba (1983) and the last was an untitled image. The ideas he explored were opposed belief systems, being a black man in the white art world, fundamental truths, and seeing beyond physical forms. He noticed a facade in his self-realization and road to spirituality, to allow other realizations and truths to reveal itself. He overall transcended over the years of his artistic career and it was not spoken enough about how he addressed broader issues and universal themes.

After reviewing the art history of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I very much connected with him. His art was not meant to be understood by everyone. He was a black man in white America during a time that was still very much apparent racism. I especially enjoyed him reaching his higher self through his art. During that time, I feel as if I found spirituality and one reaching their higher self was taboo, but Basquiat overcame those norms. Viewing artists change their styles and express their views is something I enjoy seeing and I too want to use tools to better myself as a person as well.