Jean-Michel Basquiat. Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump (1982)

Jean-Michel BasquiatFundamental Paintings to Understand the History of Painting

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Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump (1982). Jean-Michel Basquiat
Acrylic and oil on canvas. 240 cm x 420 cm
The Stephanie and Peter Brant Foundation. Greenwich, Connecticut, United States

Basquiat exemplifies postmodernity: a time in which there are no revolutionary movements, no manifestos, no banners, no great causes.

The individual is alone, with his own truth.

And this painting is a good example of his work: expressive fury, strident colors and simple, primitive forms. This work we can be considered as part of neo-expressionism: when in the 70’s and 80’s, there is a revival of expressionism and a return to figuration.

These rudimentary forms in the midst of a chaos of colors, objects and words not necessarily linked to each other —a characteristic of all his work— make us imagine the chaos and vertigo of life in the streets of New York.

Basquiat had to live in the streets sometimes. He dedicated himself to graffiti and this graffiti culture is reflected in his “childish” drawings, which in fact, are not innocent whatsoever.

Basquiat painted frantically, just as he lived. He had a meteoric career to the top, with fame, money and the admiration of great geniuses such as Warhol. Basquiat died very young, he was only 27 years old.

Recommended links:

Timeline: moments of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Postmodern Art.

Banksy and the Talking Walls.

Andy Warhol and The Factory.

Francis Bacon: “My painting is not violent; it is life that is violent.”

Warhol: “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”

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