Julian Schnabel’s 1996 film Basquiat takes a closer look at the brief life of the young, black painter whose meteoric rise in the 1980s art community sparked great debate about the elements that constitute real art and the role of racism in its judgement. Jean-Michel Basquiat’s newfound fame makes the viewer constantly question whether the praise of his work is heartfelt or if it is all a ploy to use him to make more profits. There are several scenes that do an outstanding job of exploring this struggle further and help in breaking down the brilliant mind of an artist skeptical of the acclaim he’s given, as it is unclear whether it is solely for the merits of his work. My favorite scene in the film is when Basquiat is sitting in his apartment
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In one instance, Basquiat encounters two men stealing a door/gateway with his graffiti on it to make a quick buck off his name. The scene’s lingering overhead shot of Basquiat coldly laying on the floor after the men beat him up firmly establishes how Basquiat is becoming increasingly isolated in the world due to people’s use of his name for profit. This takes a huge toll on Basquiat, as it makes him constantly re-evaluate the nature of his personal relationships and pushes him further into his drug addiction. Additionally, the media’s frequent gossip and scrutiny of his life leads to Basquiat becoming paranoid that Andy Warhol is manipulating him, despite there being sufficient evidence suggesting the opposite to be true. While their screen time together is sparse, many, if not all, of the interactions Schnabel shows between the two artists appear to be genuine and good-natured. This is likely intentional, as Warhol’s eccentricity and experience as a heavily critiqued artist make him one of the only people who can relate to the challenges Basquiat faces in the film. Nonetheless, the art world’s rumor-spreading, greed, and pretentiousness force Basquiat to the point where he pushes Warhol, an ideal mentor and friend,
In one instance, Basquiat encounters two men stealing a door/gateway with his graffiti on it to make a quick buck off his name. The scene’s lingering overhead shot of Basquiat coldly laying on the floor after the men beat him up firmly establishes how Basquiat is becoming increasingly isolated in the world due to people’s use of his name for profit. This takes a huge toll on Basquiat, as it makes him constantly re-evaluate the nature of his personal relationships and pushes him further into his drug addiction. Additionally, the media’s frequent gossip and scrutiny of his life leads to Basquiat becoming paranoid that Andy Warhol is manipulating him, despite there being sufficient evidence suggesting the opposite to be true. While their screen time together is sparse, many, if not all, of the interactions Schnabel shows between the two artists appear to be genuine and good-natured. This is likely intentional, as Warhol’s eccentricity and experience as a heavily critiqued artist make him one of the only people who can relate to the challenges Basquiat faces in the film. Nonetheless, the art world’s rumor-spreading, greed, and pretentiousness force Basquiat to the point where he pushes Warhol, an ideal mentor and friend,