Jean Michele Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat
An inspiration for all generations. He has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the art world. And just like the great Jimi Hendrix he too left us when he was 27. He was and always will be an anomaly.
Jean-Michel Basquiat was born at Brooklyn Hospital December 22 1960. Born to a Puerto Rican mother and a Haitian father he had the influence of two very colorful cultures. Jean-Michel was a gifted child, always extremely advanced for his age. Learning to read at the age of four, being fluent in three languages by the age of eleven, and an avid and talented artist. His mother noticed his drawings and encouraged him in any way she could. She herself was a drawer, but she drew clothes, being interested in fashion and becoming a designer. This influenced him greatly, she took him to see all kinds of art, took him to the MET to see all of the classics. With her encouragement he drew and created most of his life. Basquiat had two other siblings, who were born four and seven years after him. After his youngest sister was born his mother and father separated, and his father took over custody of all three children. They lived in Brooklyn until 1974, when because of a job his father got they all moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Basquiat family only stayed in Puerto Rico for two years, and moved back to Brooklyn.
After they returned to Brooklyn in 1976, Basquiat resumes his schooling at Edward R. Murrow. He only stayed at Murrow for a short time, then transferred to a school in Manhattan, called City-as-School. An alternative high school that is for gifted and talented children that the “normal” school system does not really work for. This school was working for Basquiat; he stayed there for a year. However after a prank he pulled at his close friends graduation from the school, and only a year away himself he decided to leave the school. Finding there was “no point in going back” he said.
In June of 1978, Basquiat leaves his fathers home for
An inspiration for all generations. He has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the art world. And just like the great Jimi Hendrix he too left us when he was 27. He was and always will be an anomaly.
Jean-Michel Basquiat was born at Brooklyn Hospital December 22 1960. Born to a Puerto Rican mother and a Haitian father he had the influence of two very colorful cultures. Jean-Michel was a gifted child, always extremely advanced for his age. Learning to read at the age of four, being fluent in three languages by the age of eleven, and an avid and talented artist. His mother noticed his drawings and encouraged him in any way she could. She herself was a drawer, but she drew clothes, being interested in fashion and becoming a designer. This influenced him greatly, she took him to see all kinds of art, took him to the MET to see all of the classics. With her encouragement he drew and created most of his life. Basquiat had two other siblings, who were born four and seven years after him. After his youngest sister was born his mother and father separated, and his father took over custody of all three children. They lived in Brooklyn until 1974, when because of a job his father got they all moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Basquiat family only stayed in Puerto Rico for two years, and moved back to Brooklyn.
After they returned to Brooklyn in 1976, Basquiat resumes his schooling at Edward R. Murrow. He only stayed at Murrow for a short time, then transferred to a school in Manhattan, called City-as-School. An alternative high school that is for gifted and talented children that the “normal” school system does not really work for. This school was working for Basquiat; he stayed there for a year. However after a prank he pulled at his close friends graduation from the school, and only a year away himself he decided to leave the school. Finding there was “no point in going back” he said.
In June of 1978, Basquiat leaves his fathers home for