By Darla McCammon
And Darlene Romano
Guest Columnist

“Untitled” a Basquiat from 1982, sold for $110.5 million at Sotheby’s. The painting portrays a black skull scarred with red rivulets, pitted with angry eyes, gnashing its teeth, against a blue graffiti wall on which someone has been doing their math.

WARSAW — This week’s column introduces an intriguing self-taught neo-expressionist artist who changed the face of contemporary art and rose to success in the 1980s, Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988). He died at the age of 27 of a heroin overdose, but his art is still relevant and sought after today.

In May 2016, one of his “Head” paintings sold for $57.3 million. The following year, “Untitled,” a Basquiat from 1982, sold for $110.5 million at Sotheby’s, setting a record for an American artist. The painting portrays a black skull scarred with red rivulets, pitted with angry eyes, gnashing its teeth, against a blue graffiti wall on which someone has been doing their math.

According to the editor at the Guardian, Betsy Reed, “There’s a terrible clarity in Basquiat’s art. Like the work of another heroin user, William Burroughs, his art, with its feeling of being cut and hacked into the canvas rather than daubed, its electric sense of pain in every nerve, shows everyone what’s really in their lunch. He serves up American history with all the worms crawling out of it. This painting of a skull is not just about his own morbidity — it’s about being killed by America.”

Basquiat was born the son of Gerard, a Haitian immigrant, and Mathilde, a Puerto Rican native. According to Basquiat, his father was physically abusive, and his mother was plagued with mental illness. He ran away from home at 17 and lived in Washington Park and run-down hotels in New York City.

He first gained notoriety by spray-painting walls around SoHo and the East Village with his friend Al Diaz. As his work gained traction in the graffiti scene, Basquiat would search for scraps in the street, such as slabs of wood or pieces of canvas, to use for his work. On them he painted city scenes and created a series of symbols that he continued to use throughout his lifetime.

Through his work, Basquiat addressed issues such as police brutality, wealth versus poverty, integration versus segregation and inner versus outer experience. He used social commentary in his paintings as a “tool for introspection and for identifying with his experiences in the black community, as well as attacks on power structures and systems of racism.” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Michel_basquiat)

The art dealer Jeffrey Deitch said after the sale of Untitled in 2017 that the artist was now in the same league as Pablo Picasso, meaning — maybe — that Basquiat’s “prices were buoyed by a similar alchemy: limited supply, raw talent, and a fascinating biography.” As Basquiat became successful, his emotional instability began to haunt him, and he turned to drugs to deal with his sudden fame. Basquiat died in his home in Manhattan. For more information on the fascinating life of Basquiat, click here.

Events

Van Gogh Immersive Experience: In this column a few weeks ago, I shared with you my incredible experience at the Monet Immersive Experience at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. You now have an opportunity to experience an immersive exhibition yourself without the drive to Indianapolis.

The Allen County War Museum Coliseum in Fort Wayne is offering “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” now through Aug. 10. Tickets range from $19.99 up to $73.99 per person for the VIP experience. There is a charge of $8 for parking. For more information, call (260)482-9502 or go to memorialcoliseum.com/event-calendar/event-details?EventID=25714.

Lakeland Art Center & Gallery: The current juried show of local artwork runs through July 22. Gallery hours are 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and admission is free. Gallery is located at 302 E. Winona Ave. in Warsaw. For more information, email [email protected].

Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery: Artist Sam Hoffman will be bringing his delightful artwork to the Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery beginning July 6. Warsaw City Hall is located in downtown Warsaw at 102 S. Buffalo St. in Warsaw. Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Admission is free. To exhibit at Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery, contact Darla McCammon, Curator, at (574) 527-4044, leave a message,  or send email to [email protected].

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