Collection: Artist: Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988)

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) was an American artist known for his expressive, neo-expressionist works and his unique combination of art and social commentary. Basquiat began his career in the late 1970s as a graffiti artist in New York City under the pseudonym SAMO . He used public spaces to leave poetic and provocative messages that quickly made him well known in the city's emerging art scene.

His breakthrough came in the 1980s, when he gained attention with his powerful paintings that combined text, symbols, portraiture, and complex references to history, racism, pop culture, and personal experiences. Basquiat's art is strongly influenced by his Afro-Caribbean roots, as well as the street culture and political tensions of his time. He frequently addressed African-American identity, inequality, and social injustice in his work.

An important moment in his career was his friendship and collaboration with Andy Warhol , which finally catapulted Basquiat into the upper echelons of contemporary art. Despite his rapid rise, his life was marked by personal struggles and drug addiction. Basquiat died tragically in 1988 at the age of 27 from a heroin overdose.

His works, characterized by their raw, emotional style, are among the most valuable in the art world today, and he is considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century.