Jean-Michel Basquiat rose to fame in the 1980s and was instrumental in elevating street art to high culture — challenging preconceived notions of what art could be. His bold strokes, fractured anatomies and fragmented texts created a visual language uniquely his own. As a young graffiti artist, his tag was “SAMO”— short for “same old shit” — speaking to the complexities of identity, race and society in New York City. A collaboration with Andy Warhol in the mid-1980s was a defining moment in his career. Sadly, Basquiat passed away in 1988 at the age of 27, from a heroin overdose.
Despite the brevity of his career, Basquiat’s legacy endures in exhibitions, collections, books, museums, campaigns and, most recently, through a collaborative effort between his estate and the Australian contemporary artist James Peter Henry.
“Basquiat was someone who painted with 100 per cent authenticity. I was very much inspired by that,” says Henry, who notes that they each studied ancient art (Basquiat, African art; Henry, Aboriginal art). As a mural artist, Henry, 40, has long known the value of bringing art to the streets. He’s also passionate about nurturing artistic talent in others. When he visited Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles and saw the large number of homeless people living there, he was struck by an idea. “I decided then and there that I had to work with the Los Angeles Mission,” he says of the charity dedicated to ending homelessness, “and use my art to help those who were going through very hard times.” With the help of the LA Mission, Henry wrote an arts program for the homeless. “We knew that we needed funding and awareness to make this happen,” he says. “Through the generosity of the Basquiat estate, we were able to elevate our program to make people more aware of what we were doing.”
The collaboration has transcended social barriers and fostered a sense of community and inclusion in the area.
Basquiat’s sister Lisane Basquiat is the co-executor of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat and is committed to continuing the dialogue her brother began. “When we learned about the LA Mission’s commitment to make art accessible to all, we saw it as a natural and aligned opportunity for us to contribute to the goals of their art program,” she says.
Basquiat’s interest in social justice and his use of art as a form of activism continues to inspire artists and activists alike. His legacy is a reminder of the power of art to spark change.
James Peter Henry’s Los Angeles Mission project continues in May with
a major LA institution.
