Jean Michel Basquiat Research Paper

Jean-Michel Basquiat During the 1980’s, the art movement “Neo-Expressionism” was taking the United States by storm and artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat’s big break was just beginning. If you’re not too familiar with him or isn’t really educated on him, you may know or heard Jean-Michel Basquiat from listening to your favorite artist’s songs, because of his unique hairdo that inspired The Weeknd, or for his phenomenal art that convey deep messages. Jean-Michel Basquiat, a high school dropout, soon became a household name with his distinctive artworks and artistry. Jean-Michel Basquiat was born on December 22, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Matilda Andrades, was an Afro-Latina from Puerto Rico and his father, Gerard Basquiat, was from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Jean has two younger sisters named …show more content…
Jean then dropped out of Edward Murrow High School when he was in the 10th Grade and this caused his father to kick him out his home. After that, Basquiat stayed at his friends’ homes and supported himself by selling t-shirts and postcards he made himself under the name “SAMO”. Him and his friend Al Diaz both spray painted graffiti on building. Eventually, Unique Clothing Warehouse’s founder, Harvey Russack, saw Jean spray painting and offered him a day job at the warehouse. Soon after, on December 1978, The Village Voice wrote an article about his artwork/graffiti and that became Jean’s first time being recognized in the media. Unfortunately, in 1979, Al Diaz and Jean-Michel Basquiat were no longer friends. This caused the SAMO Project to end and buildings in SoHo have “SAMO is dead” spray painted on their walls. Also in 1979, Jean had his first television appearance on “TV Party” and that was where him and television host Glenn O’Brien became friends. Basquiat even appeared in Glenn’s independent called “Downtown 81”in