Dear Jean- Michel Basquiat

This painting is a dialogue a visual conversation with the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose raw energy, layered symbolism, and fearless commentary on race, power, and identity continue to pulse through contemporary art. Inspired by his neo-expressionist language, I borrow elements from Basquiat’s world: the crown, the skeletal forms, and fractured figures—but they do not remain his alone.

Through my own lens, I reinterpret these symbols, allowing them to take on new meanings within today’s context. The palette pulses with urgency, graffiti-like marks clash with delicate brushwork, and abstract figures merge. It is both homage and evolution where my voice builds upon his legacy, not to mimic, but to extend the conversation.

In this work, I aim to bridge generations, to explore how Basquiat’s visual vocabulary lives on, reshaped by new hands and new realities. His work gave chaos a purpose and in that spirit, I let instinct lead, allowing the painting to be as much about process as message. This is not just art about Basquiat it is art with him.

Medium: Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Stretched Canvas 

Dimensions: 24"x24" 

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