Artistic Rugs Inspired by Jean Michel Basquiat

Artistic Area Rugs Inspired By Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat is considered one of the most influential artists of the 21st century. When he began his artistic career, his primitive street art style could be seen throughout the Lower East Side of Manhattan NYC on the walls of subway trains and buildings. This would lead him to collaborate with the likes of Andy Warhol and participate in some of the most prestigious art exhibitions around the world. Basquiat’s work is edgy and addresses the social tensions that he saw in society. Nazmiyal’s modern area rugs from the Basquiat inspired rug collection is a unique collection of rugs made in Afghanistan that pay tribute to the artist and his work.

Jean Michel Basquiat – Early Life and Influences

Basquiat was born December 22, 1960, in Park Slope, Brooklyn. His mother was from Brooklyn, with Puerto Rican parents. His father was born in Haiti. He was the second of four children. Basquiat’s love of art more than likely stemmed from his mother’s insistence on taking him to local art museums and purchasing a membership for him to the Brooklyn Museum of Art. She would encourage him to draw his favorite cartoons as a child.

Basquiat would attend Saint Ann’s School, which is a private school that focuses on the arts. At the age of seven, Basquiat co produced a children’s book. By the age of eleven, he was fluent in English, Spanish, and French. He read in all three languages. Due to family instability, he ran away at age 15 and slept on park benches for a time before being returned to his father. At age 17, Basquiat was kicked out of school for throwing a pie at the principal. His father kicked him out of the house after that.

Basquiat’s Message to the World

In 1978, Basquiat and Al Diaz, a schoolmate, began painting graffiti throughout the Lower East Side. They signed their work SAMO, which stands for “same old.” In December of that year, “The Village Voice” published an article about the mysterious SAMO graffiti, sparking interested and creating buzz about who the artist was and what it was about. In 1979, Basquiat appeared on a public access television show. He continued to create his unique brand of street art around the city.

During this time, he lived in the East Village and began selling postcards that featured his work. It was during this time that he first met Andy Warhol and sold him a postcard. In October of 1979, Basquiat was asked to show his SAMO montages at a local art museum. The curator allowed him to begin creating his line of “MAN MADE” clothing from her studio. Each fashion piece was hand-painted on upcycled items. One month later, his clothing line was featured in an upscale boutique in East Village.
A Turning Point

The year 1980 was a turning point for Basquiat. He had a falling out with Diaz and began inscribing buildings with “SAMO IS DEAD.” In 1980, Basquiat participated in “The Times Square Show” exhibit. It was during this exhibit that curators and critics alike began to notice his raw, primitive style. In 1981, Basquiat was invited to participate in MOMA’s PS1 exhibit. From there, his work was recommended to Italian dealer Emilio Mazzoli, who bought 10 of Basquiat’s paintings for his gallery in Modena, Italy.

Basquiat would continue to be featured in news articles and magazines. Basquiat sold his first painting to Debbie Harry, lead singer of the group “Blonde” for $200. Basquiat appeared in the music video “Rapture” and did a film with Harry. This entire time, he was living with his girlfriend, who was supporting his work by working as a waitress. In 1982, Basquiat would become the youngest artist to participate in “documenta”, a prestigious show in Germany where his works would be displayed alongside artists like Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer, and Andy Warhol.

Basquiat would continue to have a successful gallery career through 1985. He became famous for doing his painting in expensive Armani suits and then appearing in public in his paint-splashed attire. He was asked to paint a mural on several landmarks, like the Palladium Nightclub in New York. For a short time in 1982, Basquiat was working in a studio in Venice, California. His girlfriend, Madonna, who was at the time unknown, moved in with him. By the mid-1980’s, Basquiat was earning $1.4 million per year as an artist.

The more money Basquiat made, the more stress he felt to produce and create. It was during this time when he developed a drug habit to cope with pressures. Basquiat continued to travel the world and participate in some of the most prestigious art exhibitions in the world. After a time, he became reclusive, and he became even more so after the death of Andy Warhol in 1987. In 1988, Basquiat traveled to Maui to try and kick his drug habit. Sadly, later that year, in August of 1988, he died of a drug overdose in his Manhattan home at the age of 27.

Art Works and Artistic Message Of Jean Michel Basquiat

Throughout his career, Basquiat’s works included poetry, music and work on many recycled and reclaimed objects. All of his work reflected his edgy street art style. To understand Basquiat’s art, you have to understand the artist and his life. His work often used images and words to highlight his message. Basquiat included his messages in code, using symbols, popular logos, map symbols and other means to allude to the hidden message in the art piece.

Throughout his career, Basquiat produced around 600 paintings and 1500 drawings. His hands were almost always moving, turning some object into a work of art. He used a variety of media, including oil sticks, felt-tip markers, ink and pencil. Sometimes, He would make copies of parts of his other works and incorporate them into a new piece.

Basquiat’s art expresses the tensions and dichotomies that he saw in the world around him. These tensions included the divide between the poor and wealthy, racial tensions and the tension of trying to achieve inner peace despite outside forces that would try to destroy it. He used a simple color palette that includes blue, red, green, yellow, black, and white. The high contrast enhances the feeling of tension in his work.

Basquiat’s art work has a primal, primitive feel that enhances the emotional tension of the pieces. Basquiat also increases the emotional tension of the piece by including multiple focal points. His brush strokes are often quick and aggressive. One of the more fascinating aspects of Basquiat’s art is trying to decode his symbols to see what the artist was trying to convey.

Basquiat’s Collectible Pieces

Basquiat’s artworks continues to become more valuable over time. The modern artistic rugs in this collection are in a size that can be used on the floor or displayed and hung on a wall to make a statement. They are an excellent addition to an ultra urban modern home and contemporary decor. The artist who created these modern Basquiat inspired rugs captured the essence of Basquiat’s work in a way that honors his life and work.

The fascinating area rugs in his collection are an excellent choice for creating a focal point in the room. If you are a lover of modern art, the work of this iconic artist is an essential. If you want to add a piece from this artist to your collection, feel free to give us a call and we will be happy to answer any questions and make arrangements for you to have this art tribute for yourself.