Painter

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist whose paintings combine handwritten text, anatomy, crowns, cultural references, music, and history.

Jean-Michel Basquiat quick facts

Basquiat became a leading figure in 1980s Neo-Expressionism, a later revival of expressive painting distinct from the earlier Expressionism movement.

Jean-Michel Basquiat quick facts
Full name	Jean-Michel Basquiat
Born	December 22, 1960 · Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	August 12, 1988 · New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Movements	Neo-Expressionism
Paint types	Acrylic paint · Enamel paint · Spray paint · Oil stick
Other media	Drawing · collage · screenprinting
Other materials	—
Painting surfaces	Canvas · Paper · Wood · Metal
Painting methods	Layering acrylic, oil stick, marker, spray paint, collage, handwritten text, and deliberate crossings-out
Common subjects	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, Whitney Museum: Untitled (1980), and Whitney Museum artist profile.

Paint types used by Jean-Michel Basquiat

The works below connect Jean-Michel Basquiat's documented acrylic, enamel, and spray use to specific paintings, studies, and works on paper.

Acrylic paint

Basquiat used acrylic in many paintings, including works recorded by the Whitney and The Broad. Its quick-drying color suited his layered combination of words, symbols, and gestural marks, often applied over a reused or uneven support. The records document acrylic as one part of his mixed-material approach, rather than the sole medium.
Enamel paint

Basquiat also used enamel, which appears alongside acrylic and oil in some of his paintings. The Whitney’s Hollywood Africans documents his mix of media and text on canvas, while other collection records show enamel used on different supports. The durable industrial paint contributed to his layered, direct mark-making.
Spray paint

Basquiat used spray paint in works that combine broad fields with drawn marks and written language. Museum records document it among his materials, showing that aerosol paint was part of his process rather than an effect inferred from the paintings’ loose, urban appearance. He layered it with acrylic and other media.

Sources: Whitney: Hollywood Africans, Whitney: Untitled (1980), The Broad: Untitled, The Met: Jughead, Whitney: Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Painting surfaces used by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Records identify Jean-Michel Basquiat's use of canvas, paper, and wood, with named examples below showing how each support functions in the finished work.

Canvas

The Whitney catalogs Hollywood Africans and other Basquiat paintings on canvas. The flexible support carries dense layers of words, symbols, and gestural marks; his canvases combine painted images with writing and corrections rather than separating text from picture. The cataloged examples make that layered treatment visible.
Paper

Basquiat made works on paper as well as large paintings. Collection records document sheets with drawing and painted marks, allowing words and symbols to be arranged in a compact format. These works complement his canvas practice but should not be confused with notebook pages unless the specific support is documented.
Wood

Basquiat painted on wooden supports and found panels in documented works. The rigid surface brings his marks into contact with an ordinary, sometimes reused material, extending his practice beyond stretched canvas. Collection records identify wood for specific works and prevent the support from being guessed from appearance.
Metal

Basquiat also painted on metal supports in documented works, using the hard surface as a base for his mixed-media compositions. This material sits alongside canvas and wood in a varied support practice; the row refers to works cataloged on metal, not to a general claim about his imagery.