Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat - Hispanic Men, Birthday and Childhood

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Jean-Michel Basquiat Biography Stories 

Jean-Michel Basquiat's Personal Details

Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American graffiti artist who was one of the leading lights of the neo expressionist era in the 1980s

InformationDetail
BirthdayDecember 22, 1960
Died onAugust 12, 1988
NationalityAmerican
FamousHispanic Painters, Artists, Miscellaneous, Hispanic Men
SiblingsJeanine Basquiat, Lisane Basquiat, Max Basquiat
Known asJean Michel Basquiat, SAMO
Universities
  • Edward R. Murrow High School
Cause of death
  • Drug Overdose
Birth PlaceBrooklyn
GenderMale
FatherGerard Basquiat
MotherMatilda Andrades
Sun SignSagittarius
Born inBrooklyn
Famous asArtist
Died at Age27

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Jean-Michel Basquiat's photo

Who is Jean-Michel Basquiat?

Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American graffiti artist who rose to prominence in the 1980s for being one of the leading lights of the neo expressionist era of the time. His father was employed as an accountant and although he had taught himself to read and write as a child, he did not do as well as he would have liked at school. He dropped out of school and instead studied at a school of alternative education where he learnt art. Although his father had forced him to leave the house after quitting school, he started selling T-shirts in order to take care of his expenses and after a few years he partnered with a friend to create SAMO, a group that painted graffiti in buildings in New York. His work as a graffiti artist got him noticed as an up and coming artist and it was the same work that got him work with a T-shirt company. He even had his own musical band that performed at particular nightclubs but it was as a painter that he made his mark in the 1980s and his work found a lot of buyers due to the high demand of new expressionist art.

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Childhood & Early Life

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born on 22 December 1960 in Brooklyn located in New York, United States to Gerard Basquiat and Matilda Andrades. His father who was from Haiti, was an accountant by professions. Jean was the eldest of two children; the other two being girls.

He learnt to read and write by the time he was only four years old and in addition to that he showed a gift for the arts from an early age as well. He studied at the Edward R. Murrow High School located in Brooklyn but he quit school when he was in the tenth grade.

After he quit school, his father was displeased with his decision and drove him out of the house. He lived with his friends while he studied at the City-As-School, a school of alternative education meant for arts students who had not been able to complete school education. During these years, he supported himself by selling post cards and T-shirts.

Career

Jean-Michel Basquiat started off his career as a graffiti artist, in 1976. He teamed up with his friend Al Diaz and used spray paints to paint graffiti on buildings located in the Lower Manhattan area of New York. They worked under the pseudonym SAMO and continued to work as a graffiti artist for the next three years.

He started working as an artist for the Unique Clothing Warehouse located in North of Houston Street in Manhattan, New York in 1978. The owner of the company was impressed with his work as a graffiti artist and gave him the job. Around that time, his graffiti art was featured in a piece by the publication ‘The Village Voice’.

He appeared on television for the first time in 1979 in the show titled ‘TV Party’ and he worked on the show for some years.

In 1979, he founded the rock band Test Pattern along with Michael Holman, Wayne Clifford, Nick Taylor, Shannon Dawson and Vincent Gallow. The band performed at several well-known nightclubs. The following year he appeared in the film ‘Downtown 81’. Artist Andy Warhol was impressed with his paintings and the two worked on joint projects a few years down the line.

In 1980, he exhibited his works of art at the ‘The Times Square Show’ and in the same year, he started working on his inaugural one man show which was hosted the following year. The one man show was a resounding success and ‘Artform’ magazine published his notable work ‘The Radian Child’. A year later he spent some time in Modena in Italy for his work.

The early 1980s saw him gain recognition as an artist of note as the fusion of words, figures and symbols that he brought about made him one of the most important artists of the time. His paintings were sold for as much as $50,000 and the emergence of neo-expressionism during that time helped his cause as well.

In 1983, he worked at art dealer Larry Gagosian’s home studio in Venice, California for his show that took place later that year at the Gagosian Gallery. In the same year, he produced a rap single in collaboration with K-Rob and Rammellzee. On the insistence of art dealer Bruno Bischofberger, he collaborated with Andy Warhol in 1983 and produced painting for the next two years. The most famous of them being ‘Olympic Rings’.

He went to Abidjan in Ivory Coast, Africa for a show in 1986 and during his stay he was inspired by African art. After that tour, he produced about 60 works and they were exhibited at the Gesellschaft Gallery located in Hanover.

Major Works

A painting he produced in 1982, which bears no title, is considered to be his most important work. It is the image of a skull and is an excellent reflection of the versatility that he possessed as an artist.

Personal Life & Legacy

Jean-Michel Basquiat never got married but was known to have been in a relationship with singer Madonna. He had no children.

He died on 12 August 1988, at the age of 27, in Manhattan, New York, due to a drug overdose.

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Jean-Michel Basquiat biography timelines

  • // 22nd Dec 1960
    Jean-Michel Basquiat was born on 22 December 1960 in Brooklyn located in New York, United States to Gerard Basquiat and Matilda Andrades. His father who was from Haiti, was an accountant by professions. Jean was the eldest of two children; the other two being girls.
  • // 1976
    Jean-Michel Basquiat started off his career as a graffiti artist, in 1976. He teamed up with his friend Al Diaz and used spray paints to paint graffiti on buildings located in the Lower Manhattan area of New York. They worked under the pseudonym SAMO and continued to work as a graffiti artist for the next three years.
  • // 1978
    He started working as an artist for the Unique Clothing Warehouse located in North of Houston Street in Manhattan, New York in 1978. The owner of the company was impressed with his work as a graffiti artist and gave him the job. Around that time, his graffiti art was featured in a piece by the publication ‘The Village Voice’.
  • // 1979
    He appeared on television for the first time in 1979 in the show titled ‘TV Party’ and he worked on the show for some years.
  • // 1979
    In 1979, he founded the rock band Test Pattern along with Michael Holman, Wayne Clifford, Nick Taylor, Shannon Dawson and Vincent Gallow. The band performed at several well-known nightclubs. The following year he appeared in the film ‘Downtown 81’. Artist Andy Warhol was impressed with his paintings and the two worked on joint projects a few years down the line.
  • // 1980
    In 1980, he exhibited his works of art at the ‘The Times Square Show’ and in the same year, he started working on his inaugural one man show which was hosted the following year. The one man show was a resounding success and ‘Artform’ magazine published his notable work ‘The Radian Child’. A year later he spent some time in Modena in Italy for his work.
  • // 1982
    A painting he produced in 1982, which bears no title, is considered to be his most important work. It is the image of a skull and is an excellent reflection of the versatility that he possessed as an artist.
  • // 1983
    In 1983, he worked at art dealer Larry Gagosian’s home studio in Venice, California for his show that took place later that year at the Gagosian Gallery. In the same year, he produced a rap single in collaboration with K-Rob and Rammellzee. On the insistence of art dealer Bruno Bischofberger, he collaborated with Andy Warhol in 1983 and produced painting for the next two years. The most famous of them being ‘Olympic Rings’.
  • // 1986
    He went to Abidjan in Ivory Coast, Africa for a show in 1986 and during his stay he was inspired by African art. After that tour, he produced about 60 works and they were exhibited at the Gesellschaft Gallery located in Hanover.
  • // 12th Aug 1988
    He died on 12 August 1988, at the age of 27, in Manhattan, New York, due to a drug overdose.

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Jean-Michel Basquiat's FAQ

  • What is Jean-Michel Basquiat birthday?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat was born at 1960-12-22

  • When was Jean-Michel Basquiat died?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat was died at 1988-08-12

  • Where was Jean-Michel Basquiat died?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat was died in NoHo, Manhattan

  • Which age was Jean-Michel Basquiat died?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat was died at age 27

  • Where is Jean-Michel Basquiat's birth place?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn

  • What is Jean-Michel Basquiat nationalities?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat's nationalities is American

  • Who is Jean-Michel Basquiat siblings?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat's siblings is Jeanine Basquiat, Lisane Basquiat, Max Basquiat

  • What was Jean-Michel Basquiat universities?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat studied at Edward R. Murrow High School

  • What is Jean-Michel Basquiat's cause of dead?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat dead because of Drug Overdose

  • Who is Jean-Michel Basquiat's father?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat's father is Gerard Basquiat

  • Who is Jean-Michel Basquiat's mother?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat's mother is Matilda Andrades

  • What is Jean-Michel Basquiat's sun sign?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat is Sagittarius

  • How famous is Jean-Michel Basquiat?

    Jean-Michel Basquiat is famouse as Artist