Analysis of Jean-Michel Basquiat

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Art Expresses Emotion
Background Story
Jean Michel Basquiat was born on December 20, 1960, in Brooklyn, NY, USA, and died on August 12, 1988, in New York City. He is an American painter and graffiti artist known for crawl text and graffiti-like images. He is a neo-expressionist who came to the fore in the 1980s and dealt with the draft handling of materials opposite to minimalism and conceptual art practice in the 1970s. Jean Michel Basquiat can be characterized as rebellious, politically radical, angry, and controversial. Basquiat’s paintings are childlike or primitive-looking but with hidden meanings and vibrancy. He is known as a precursor or pioneer in the history of street art (Gaillard 59). Although the human body is used extensively in Basquiat’s art, emotion influences his message. He also portrayed famous black figures, especially boxers, sports stars, and musicians. Thesis statement: Art can be used to express emotions of hopelessness, despair, and renewed hope.
Jean Michel Basquiat gained fame for his marvelous art and his dynamic personality. He was a fearless and creative artist whose messages still resonate today. The images and the overlying text in his work question several themes, including consumerism, racism, history of art, and classism. In his work, he used different motifs and themes to convey cynicism. For instance, the image of the crown has been used in several artworks to represent his criticism of class. It also indicates Basquiat’s rise to fame and his wealth. The messages in Basquiat’s painting are thought-provoking and radical, but his noble style and technique were unique. Basquiat’s art can be seen as a mosaic of random thoughts with the symbolism of imagery and pronounced wordings. Basquiat’s cared less about art being aesthetically pleasing but focused on the subliminal information and emotions it brought to the viewer.
The Theme of Self-Revelation
Jean Michel Basquiat embodies an artist who brings to the fore the theme of self-revelation. He is an artist who broke barriers and made a name for himself as a black art star. He is popularly known for his art that brought to the fore issues such as resistance, challenge, struggle, strength, and victory. This contemporary black star has established a new era for black artists. In his art, The Ring, he presents a red boxing ring where he draws a strong athlete in polka dots holding a spear. Some experts believe that in this ring, Jean Michel is depicting himself. This artist is known to have grown up at a time when Muhammad Ali and Joe Lewis were boxing giants. Their image must have inspired him to highlight the battles that these two boxers experienced. They were revered in the boxing ring but had to overcome racial inequality outside the society. From this art, we learn about his self-revelation – The desire to be seen as an icon who can withstand the challenges of his time and emerge as a winner.
Jean- Michel’s Crown Motifs have been recognized in popular culture for their expression of self-revelation. The crown evokes an emotional and subversive aesthetic. He defines three things in the crown; his desire to be great, his depiction of being king, and his association with people that can be regarded as kings. In the Red King’s painting, Jean Michel’s fascination with Kings is brought to the fore. There is a depiction of crowns and heads that define a profound struggle between marginalization and self-worth. It defines the interplay that exists between the intellect and the material world. Basquiat focused on the prevalent divisions like integration versus segregation and wealth versus poverty, choosing to dig deep to gain truths about individuals (Muhammad et al. 16428). The crown is viewed as a universal symbol that all can understand irrespective of their gender or race. In his art of the New York King, Jean Michel Basquiat is known to have unique inner qualities that made him stand out. As a graffiti artist, he must have desired to be seen and acknowledged. The crown must have been his way to raise his stature and make him recognizable.
In his work Self-Portrait, he explores his identity as a man from an African American lineage. Although he belongs to the New York intellectual class, he managed to create a place for himself in a selective art world. He did not forget his African American origins identifying with racial injustices and black personalities. His dual identity persisted beyond his personality and into his career. In his paintings, he paired people with objects, images with words to highlight reality and the opposite of the same.
Criticism of Jean Michel Basquiat’s Work
Jean Michael Basquiat used a specific technique with his artwork. His paintings consisted of human faces, and some had a skeleton, which represented a face. Although his art has been sold for millions, some critics argue that his work was repetitious and untalented with no message. Basquiat was talented in using color, did not repeat particular combinations, and was always interested in creating new relationships (Garay et al. 4). One critic, Hilton Kramer, has criticized Basquiat’s art, indicating that it was not worth millions. Kramer warned that the worldwide mania over buying art would eventually contribute to buying bad art (Miller-Davenport 12). However, Basquiat’s artwork continues to make millions despite this criticism.
Some have criticized Basquiat’s work, stating that he would have remained an unsuccessful black artist if not for Andy Warhol discovering him. However, through his concerted efforts and dedication, he saw him work to catch the eye of Andy Warhol, his idol. In his Dos Cabezas painting, he presented a dual painting of Warhol and himself, bringing him to his attention. He deliberately pursued Andy Warhol and soon became a close friend, collaborator, and partner (Gal...