Basquiat

This is an excellent art book for the price. It contains a large number of color plates of Basquiat's best works, along with some good scholarly essays. The color plates are fairly small, however, with many of the paintings only taking up a half or a third of the page. Full page reproductions would be much more satisfying, but the book is still worth its price. I was pleased that the curators of this exhibition omitted the dreadful Warhol collaborative works, as those are such a down note for Basquiat books to end on. This collection manages to present the very best of his final works, rather than demonstrating, as many works on this subject do, that Basquiat's talent waned and failed.

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in 1960 in New York and never reached age 30, but his short and controversial career created a distinct and influential style in modern art and here is celebrated in BASQUIAT, a full-color display of his graffiti-inspired street art. From religious symbolism to inner city influences, BASQUIAT gathers and examines all the works of his eight-year career under one cover in a retrospective important for any modern art library collection.

I love this book! Full of great colorful plates and information about Basquiat's life.

After spending an afternoon strolling the huge exhibition of the works of Jean-Michel Basquiat currently at MOCA in Los Angeles, the visual indulgence becomes repetitive and exhausting. Yes, the works are curated well, the museum spaces the installation artistically, and the access to the spectrum of Basquiat's output (including collaborative works with Andy Warhol and Francesco Clemente) is thorough. But it is a bit of visual overkill to monopolize a museum with works that are so similar that the original graffiti punch that initiated the brief career of this artist is lost. This highly professional catalogue (monograph) that accompanies the exhibition is a book that should be read BEFORE visiting the museum. The writing is excellent, much attention is paid to the time into which Basquiat emerged, the sociological importance of placing a graffiti artist's works in private galleries and in museums, and indeed the visual manifestation of the Hip Hop movement that Basquiat's works on paper and canvas represent prepares us for a show that subsequently becomes far more important. Quite a change from the usual 'catalogue as souvenir' concept so traditional in museums and galleries. This book stands alone as an art work: the reproductions are generous and well color-keyed, the essays are first rate, and the documentation of the works by Basquiat is in essence a Catalogue raisonné. So whether or not you have access to this traveling exhibition should not influence whether you add this important book to your library. It simply is that fine! Grady Harp, July 05

Although his career was brief, Jean-Michel Basquiat is and will probably continue to be one of the most hotly debated artists of this century. Some dismiss his work as graffiti, others see it as the work of an avant garde genius. Whatever the case, Basquiat generates interest and conversation. Recently published by Merrell and edited by Marc Mayer, "Basquiat" is a tribute to the artist and an in depth exploration of his work. The boldly colored illustrations arrest the eye, and the pieces from private collections surprise. Of special interest to art aficionados will be the latest perspectives on his work and commentary on the major influences in his life. Few would have believed the Brooklyn high school dropout who sprayed painted difficult to discern motifs on subways would have showings in New York and Paris in less than a decade. Such was the case. Born to a Haitian father and mother of Puerto Rican descent, Basquiat showed an interest in and gift for art as a child. He was 17 when he decorated lower Manhattan buildings with spray paint, and the next year he dropped out of high school. Leaving home he found a bed with friends and began earning a living by selling hand painted objects, such as post cards and T-shirts. His first art exhibit was sponsored by New York's Collaborative Projects Incorporated. A few short years later an article about him appeared in a major art publication, and then he had the good fortune to become a friend of Andy Warhol's. It was an association that lasted until Warhol's death. Regrettably, it was also at about the same time that Basquiat's drug use became evident. Despite this abuse fame followed. He was featured on the cover of The New York Times Magazine, and had one-artist shows at prestigious galleries. His life and career came to an end when he died of a heroin overdose at the age of 27. The art world will never know what he might have produced had he lived. But, it will certainly be discussed. Those who appreciate contemporary art will find much to enjoy and ponder in "Basquiat." - Gail Cooke