I have been a fan of Basquiat for some time and read about his art journey, yet still learned new details here about his life (for example, the beginnings of his fascination with anatomy). As ever, you frame the story so beautifully & I agree: a meteoric star genius lost too soon whose work still shines a full spectrum of expressive light. Thank you for making these wonderful presentations... a marvelous “cyber-Salon”❣️
I really loved the way you described his work as a chorus…and the comforting feeling that he’s with all the young genius comets having a fine time. The King Pleasure show in LA was excellent and this is too. Thank you.
I feel he expressed his life in a direct, deeply honest and raw way and I admire him hugely for that. To me, he is an artist warrior with enormous courage and sensitivity and I feel very grateful and moved by his life and what he expressed and achieved. A lesson perhaps to us is IGNORE THE CRITICISMS..good or bad..stay connected to our CROWNS. Unfortunately drugs etc dissipate that connection in the long run.
You are so welcome! Thank you for your kind words. Please stay tuned and do not hesitate to share your opinion for my content, that will help me improve it.
I heard about Basquiat before. As you say, his work is not easy on the eye. I can find his art interesting, I can go to an exhibition to see his art, but it is not the kind of art I would buy to put on a wall at home if I would have the money.
I can fully understand you and feel the same. Wouldn't be my choice either. Many of his collectors are people who rose from the same circles, so they probably connect with his art on a more personal level, unlike us.
💫I have held Jean Michel in the greatest of esteem, so in this respect, my opinion of him was unchanged as a result of viewing his story from your perspective. What did change, was my sense of distance from people in my admiration of Jean Michel. The respect you pay him, bringing more of his history to my attention is a profoundly moving tribute. The uplifting eulogy expressed in your closing comments moved me to tears. Thank you for your dedication to sharing your knowledge and experience 🤍
For artists, the story of basquiat is a cautionary tale. He was chewed up and spit out by the art establishment. The extreme depravity of the scene ended up being lethal. Live fast, die young, leave behind an oeuvre utterly devoid of any aesthetic merit. The cognoscenti meanwhile, will exclaim "ooh"! and "ah"! at what a visionary genius he was, and then peddle his paintings for 100s of millions 30 years after his death. Let that sink in...
Basquiat, though a drug user, was never a "drug dealer" and he was never "paid with drugs." This is simply sensationalist spin to Art Unplugged's episode on Basquiat : )
Another excellent lesson! Funny, I was just thinking about him earlier this week, you must be psychic! I loved this line - “Basquiat’s work is not easy on the eye, and if you are looking for beauty that comes from harmony and polished mastery, you will not find it here.” I might have to adopt it for use in describing my own art. 🤣 I really hope you continue to make your videos, Boryana!
wow, loved this one. I particularly enjoy the videos where it is very apparent that you are fond of the artist and have empathy for them. it spills through. a bit ashamed to admit but i only knew basquiat as the object of fascination by ppl like Madonna but boy did this video school me. this was was a gift, the images of him with his sad soulful eyes as a backdrop to his personal was very moving
Thank you! Pheople who knew him said that he was quite an extraordinary human being. Hollman said that ' he was born fully realised'. He dated Madonna for a couple of months and he is probably the most collected artist by music and film celebrities, so you are on the right track. XXX
Today i had a conversation with a friend about art and Basquiat which lead me to search about him on the net. I knew him but never understood his work. I came across a lot of videos, nothing really moved me. But this one... This presentation, this lesson is just amazing !!! Thank you for this one, now i m watching all the videos, subscribed and waiting for more. Did you say Pollock in the next video ? (Insert smile here). Thank you again !!
Thank you so much for your kind words! Knowing that my video has made a change is the greatest reward for me! Check out the one on Abstract art, I mention Pollock there, but yes, a video dedicated to him is a good idea! 😊
Another good intro to a fascinating artist. Such a shame that the art establishment pushed him and Warhol apart. I saw a documentary a while ago about Basquiat and it came across very strongly that Warhol was one of his heroes.
Can you point me to a source that can vonfirm that? I am looking at the work of Wes Lang and though there are many skulls in it, they look distinctly different. Many thanks!
You can find this image in the book called Wes Lang Everything published by Rizzoli, Publication date: September 28, 2021. C'est La Fuckin' Vie, 2015 acrylic and oil stick on canvas, 72 x 60 inches (page 126)
Aren't you the lady that gave basquiat a studio????......I wish it was me...He looks like me... We R 1 year apart. I grew up in Brooklyn, the grand army section, 1 block from the Brooklyn museum. I went to PS9. He went to PS1. My birthday is DEC 21 1961. Basquiats is DEC 22 1960. How strange we crossed paths but never met..I paint today because of basquiat....... hit my thumbnail peak at my last video. There only 4.....
I wish I was, but no, I am not that lady :) Basquiat was a rare talent and it is such a loss that he died so young! Had he lived, you would have known each other, I bet!
What are the words you say to describe his unconscious wisdom…the qualities you say he possessed. It’s around 14.42..A bit difficult for me to discern. Would love to know. The video is interesting.
Another fascinating unplugging. Basquiat, the enigma, as complex and paradoxical as his paintings. Primitive, innocent, childlike? Or streetwise, cunning, manipulative? You veer towards the man-as-child / child-as-man genius, untrained, untainted by tradition or technique, raw, a jazz-hip-hop-graffiti improvisation, cut down in his prime ... He has this stuff in his head, his nightmares, his vision, his drugs, his bad trips ... But does he really have the style and know-how of a Hendrix, Miles, or Coltrane? Who knows? (Not me, that's for sure ... R :-)
Thanks Richard! You are right about the mike, we experimented with a different setup which was not that successful. As for your other question - it is known that Basquiat had very good knowledge of art history and many references in his art prove that, so we may say that he knew-how pretty well. As for style - well, he had his own distinct style from the beginning and, though I do not expand on that in the video, it was quite complex and sophisticated of its own right.
