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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Jean-Michel Basquiat: Art and Objecthood

Jean-Michel Basquiat with an untitled artwork at the French Cultural Center in Abidjan, 1984.

Apr 11 – June 11, 2022
980 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10075, United States

Jean-Michel Basquiat started out as part of the graffiti duo SAMO, then took the street with him into the world of fine art. “The first paintings I made were on windows on the street,” he explained, “And I used the window shape as a frame, and I just put the painting on the glass part and on doors found in the street.” Some of Basquiat’s early work sees him repurposing refrigerators, chairs, and cabinets by painting them with his eerie figures and Art Brut scribbles. Wood boards and old tiles were also used. Nahmad’s exhibition is the first ever to explore the found-object facet of Basquiat’s practice. —Elena Clavarino

Photo: Courtesy of the French Cultural Center in Abidjan, © Estate of Jean Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York