Splattered on the walls of the Barbican's third floor is the exasperating brain of a Brooklyn-bred street artist that, even today, needs and proceeds to educate us in our urban society. Thank goodness he had all that wacky dreadlocked hair to protect that beautiful mind of his.
You know you're in for a treat when you walk into a section of the exhibition and the first thing you see is a woman shaking her head in astonishment, pointing in several directions at a painting, saying, "what the fuck is going on?"
This is just what to expect when meeting with Jean-Michel Basquiat's intricate artwork. Curated with an array of influences, from his interests in mythology, music, and cartoons, Basquiat's work yells and screams - it's never quiet. His style is messy yet perfectly structured, vibrant and striking, and so pleasingly childlike and chaotic. His artwork is embedded with rich symbolism, questioning social issues such as racism, social class, and mundanity of life alongside self-reflective portraits and witty comments on famous artists. It's enticing to see graffiti in what seems like such a formal setting, because Basquiat's work is utterly informal, true to the streets, and incredibly raw. He was not taught what to think, "how to art", or how to be for his artwork - he simply was.
The Barbican team curated the space in such a way that all of his works are sectioned off room by room, each relating back to a specific time in his life and varying projects. Although I occasionally felt confused with the not entirely chronological set-up, I found myself immersed in Basquiat's experiences when in certain rooms, especially when exploring Basquiat and Warhol's relationship in "Warhol". The extensive exhibition is not only an enlightening collection of Basquiat's beautiful paintings, but also a gateway into his personal life and relationships; signed cheques, vacation postcards, notebook entries, poetry, and more. Despite being burdened by the pressures and injustices of urban society, Basquiat definitely had a ripe sense of humour.
Jean-Michel Basquiat will always be one of most significant artists of the 20th century, not because he was near to the only renowned African-American painter at the time, but because he was a real person with an organic knowledge of society's truths and lies. His artwork remains relatable and almost too real even nearly 40 years later... worth thinking about, isn't it?
Basquiat: Boom For Real pays a humbling tribute to the eclectic, naturally intellectual, and kaleidoscopic man that was Basquiat. If the depth in his artwork isn't enough to convince you to go, go because it'll be like meeting a really cool, woke dude from the 80's. Seriously.
Basquiat: Boom For Real pays a humbling tribute to the eclectic, naturally intellectual, and kaleidoscopic man that was Basquiat. If the depth in his artwork isn't enough to convince you to go, go because it'll be like meeting a really cool, woke dude from the 80's. Seriously.
Basquiat: Boom For Real is at the Barbican centre only until 28th January. Don't miss out on this one of a kind exhibition!
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