Jean-Michel Basquiat was one of the most indelible and influential artists of the late twentieth century; emerging from the fevered New York art scene of the 1980s, he has become an icon worldwide. Alongside contemporaries like Keith Haring, he grew from tagging graffiti in the subways to exhibiting the world over in just four years, also befriending legends like Andy Warhol and becoming one of the leaders of Neo-expressionism. Having been active only ten years, Basquiat would die in 1988 at just 27, leaving behind an incredible body of work and inspiring generations of future artists.
The current exhibition entitled “King Pleasure” at The Grand in downtown LA was compiled and curated from the estate’s collection by the artist’s surviving siblings and family. In chronological order, we see the evolution of Basquiat’s style alongside personal effects and memorabilia, recreations of the family’s home in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and his final studio in Manhattan. The family wanted to show the world and art of Jean-Michel, the man they knew, over the legend of Basquiat. They wanted to show his work and personality as their brother and a real human being. This approach, ending with testimonials from the family, gives the show an intimate quality that only family remembrances could achieve. To examine the connections between the artist’s biography, family, art, and era, we will look at three works from his most prolific years (1982-83) and how his style evolved and grew over time.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Art Muse LA Premium to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.