Basquiat

Jean Michel Basquiat

1960-1988

An American Graffiti Artist

Making connections

• _{Last period we spoke about graffiti as an accessible art form and in the context of identity, and a means of self-expression}

• _{We talked about identity being tied in to self expression and how our own personal identities can influence how we make and respond to art}

• _{We looked at this painting by New York artist Jean Michel Basquiat and today we are going to take a closer look at his life and work.}

Making connections

Remember, as we progress through the lesson, think of what you have learned about identity with your teachers, what does identity mean to you and how does is impact your every day life? Identity is interconnected in all aspects of our lives, sometimes without us even realizing it. See how you connect on a personal level to the art, can you make a connection with one of you classmates through art? What about the whole class?

Before we begin:

• As we progress with the lesson, look at the images carefully, consider the details you see- what connections can you make?

• Consider what elements the artist is exploring- identity, line, expression, color, symbols, message. Recall you art words

• How are you responding to the art- there are no wrong answers! This is your personal response to the artist and his work.

Open Ended

Just to get us warmed up, let us revisit this work: "Untitled," painted in 1982. Write down some words that pop into your mind when you look at this painting. Look at the image, what do you think it represents? What about the colors? What about the lines? Does it remind you of anything?

Jean-Michel Basquiat

• Born in Brooklyn, NYC

• His dad was from Haiti and his mom is of Puerto Rican descent, and these identities informed his work throughout his life

• At the age of 7 he was injured when he was hit by a car. While he was recovering from his injuries, his mother bought him a book about the human body- Gray's Anatomy. This experience greatly influenced his work for the rest of his life

Multiple Choice

Where was Jean Michel Basquait from?

• Brooklyn

• The Bronx

• New Jersey

• Canada

Multiple Choice

What was a major influence on his work?

• His heritage and culture

• The anatomy book his mom gave him

• Both

Development as an Artist

^{Once he was finished with high school, he became involved with the graffiti scene in New York City. He and his friend, Al Diaz made up the graffiti duo SAMO.}

^{He continued to develop his skills as a solo artist and galleries began to notice his work. We can see his art is greatly informed by his identity and as a personal expression of his experiences. Especially in this work here. What is your first impression of this?}

Open Ended

Write down some thoughts or words that spring into your mind when you take a closer look at this work. What does is look like? What are some things that you see? Does this look like a work of art or something else?

Quote from Jean Michel Basquiat

"I don't think about art when I am working, I try to think about life."

Keep these words in the back of your mind as you consider his work. How does his identity influence his art. How does your own identity and personality influence your response to art? What do you think the artist is representing about his identity in this work?

Open Ended

Remember, Basquait was quoted as saying "I don't think about art when I am working, I try to think about life."

What do you think this means? How do you think this personal philosophy influenced his work?

Basquiat's use of crowns

The crown was a symbol frequently present in Basquiat's work. Art historians think he meant one or all of the following: that (1) the artist saw himself as king, (2) the artist’s association with people and other artists he considered kings, or (3) the artist’s ambition to become great.

Let's review common features in a Basquiat Painting

• Words/ text

• Expressive lines

• Bright colors

• Distorted body parts

• Skull-like heads

Poll

Do you like to express yourself through art?

• Yes

• No

• Sometimes

Poll

Do you like to share your art with others?

• Yes, I like to share

• No, I like to keep it private

• It depends on my mood

Ms. O's Basquiat inspired self portrait on Seesaw

Elvin' response

Noah's Response