Painter
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist whose paintings combined intense color, handwritten text, anatomy, crowns, cultural references, music, history, and the energy of New York street culture.
Jean-Michel Basquiat quick facts
A concise reference for his life, work, and painting approach.
| Born | December 22, 1960 · Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| Died | August 12, 1988 · New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Associated movement | Neo-expressionism and the Downtown New York art scene |
| Paint media | Acrylic paint · Oil paint · Spray paint |
| Other media | Oil stick, graphite, marker, collage, drawing, and screen printing |
| Common motifs | Crowns, heads, anatomy, words, crossed-out text, musicians, athletes, history, and street imagery |
| Notable works | Hollywood Africans, Untitled (1982), LNAPRK, and the Untitled, From Leonardo series |
Sources: The Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum: Hollywood Africans, Whitney Museum: LNAPRK, and Whitney Museum artist profile.