Talk:Jean-Michel Basquiat

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I'm stubbing this, it's fragmentary and incomplete. There needs to be a section adressing the criticism towards Basquiat. Robert Hughes for example called him a featherweight because of his weak technique, and criticized his dealers for exploiting him as a young black painter.

Contents

[edit] Let's improve this

This page needs a section on where some of his works are housed (i.e. names of paintings followed by names of museums) to follow the format used for most visual artists on this site. --Emilie, 4/5/2007

This paragraph is problematic in both style and content. Let's try to improve it:

  • Many of his friends and his lovers showed a remarkable fear for his frequent drug abuse. Many believe because of this drug use, he developed a paranoia around many, including his close friends.

--jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:37, 1 May 2005 (UTC)

The paragraph concerning his drug use seems to hint at a connection between the drugs/paranoia and his appearance on the cover of Time. Is this the case? If not, this paragraph should be restructured. -Sam Walker (2005/8/15)

I agree. In fact, this article is disjointed in many places and includes at least one POV statement, "Some claimed that Andy Warhol was merely using Basquiat for some of his techniques and insight, but this was never based on much fact, just mere speculation." Who are the some who claimed that Warhol was using him and how do we know that the assertion was mere speculation? I would suggest that someone put a clean-up disclaimer on this page. I'd do it myself, but I haven't yet learned how. CKA3KA (Skazka) 00:26, 2 November 2005 (UTC)
I have tagged the article as being in need of work. CKA3KA (Skazka) 01:35, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Political Correctness Fails Again

Why is he listed as being an African-American? There is nothing in the article that says he has African heritage. Black =/= African-American. 207.250.76.5 14:42, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

1) Basquiat was of Haitian extraction. Where do you think the Haitians came from? They are descended from African slaves. 2) Basquiat was an American. Therefore, Q.E.D. he was an African-American. JohnC 05:25, 13 August 2006 (UTC)

3) And the Puerto Rican ancestry comes into this where exactly? kris 23:50, 09 January 2007 (UTC)


Basquiat would best be described as being of West Indian descent. Both Haitians and Puerto Ricans have a rich and very mixed heritage of African/Indigenous/European culture. Nothing wrong with being listed as African American... Unfortunately in America, the color of your skin trumps anything else.

Written by a proud West Indian child!Malarican 02:41, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

Try telling a Haitian that he is African-American, many Haitians have serious problems being identified with the American Noir. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.31.91.82 (talk) 17:55, 12 November 2007 (UTC)


Why not just say he is American? And leave it at that, although most Americans have different ethnic backgrounds for example on Jackson Pollock's page we don't say "European-American" or such as that? It's ridiculous. - User:EthanLeon —Preceding comment was added at 19:35, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Afro-Puerto Rican

There seems to be a ridiculous wikipedia trend of calling persons who happen to have ancestors from Puerto Rico who married black people who are not Puerto Rican, "Afro-Puerto Rican." Afro-Puerto Rican refers to a specific group of people -blacks from Puerto Rico- and not anything else. I am deleting this nonsensical reference. Thanks to the editor who adds people to ethnic groups by combining ancestors; very poor and very non-academic. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Noopinonada (talkcontribs) 03:16, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] brooklynmuseum.org external link

This link: [Street-to-Studio Interactive was added to the article by the site owner. In keeping with our guidelines could regular editors of this article check out the link and add it back if you think it appropriate. Thanks. -- Siobhan Hansa 00:23, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Pictures of his artworks?

would it be possible for someone to post some pictures of his more famous artworks? most other artists seem to have these included with their articles.

[edit] SAMO shit image by imitator

Am i the only one that sees how silly that looks? it's as if someone uploaded their own cover of "Strawberry Fields" to The Beatles article. This image should definitely go and replaced for either an originl SAMO tag by Basquiat or nothing.Yamanbaiia 11:10, 14 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Coincidental Information Also Left Out

The graffiti name "SAMO", obviously used by Basquiat, is shared by a Frankish merchant named Samo who became the first ruler of the Slavs. He was called King Samo. If you're familiar with Basquiat's work you'll recognize the significance by his usage of the ever-present crown. I think this is more than a coincidence and should be noted in the article. Another piece of information left untapped was his SAMO quotes which can be found on many sites. "SAMO© as an end to mindwash religion, nowhere politics, and bogus philosophy" or "SAMO© saves idiots" are just a few examples. This article needs more, with a few more links.--Garyloganhobdy (talk) 21:38, 16 January 2008 (UTC)