Everyone who knows a bit more about contemporary art than the existence of Malevich's square is likely familiar with the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. However, Jean-Michel is often presented as a vagabond who suddenly found fame. Yet, the story of Basquiat is much more interesting. Unfortunately, he is a member of the unfortunate "Club 27," so Jean-Michel's biography is quite short. But his legacy is so vast that unpublished diaries, photographs, or even works by the artist keep appearing at various exhibitions. Basquiat is one of the most important creators of the 20th century. His creative style is innovative and unconventional. This granted him a certain freedom that other artists could not afford. His works were composed of several layers, featuring different symbols and texts from newspapers, menus of nearby cafes, and other elements of pop culture. The artist's canvas, whatever it may be, is a multilayered composition. It needs to be explored like an encyclopedia, where new meanings lie behind each letter. The themes of his works were diverse. Like many artists, Jean-Michel expressed himself through his creativity. He collaborated with Andy Warhol, and Banksy drew inspiration from his work. In his paintings, notebooks, and interviews, he presented himself as a strong and creative writer and speaker, as well as a image-maker. Basquiat-isms is a collection of the most important quotes from this godfather of street art. In these brief, persuasive, and memorable selections taken from his interviews, as well as from his diaries, Basquiat writes and speaks about culture, his artistic persona, the art world, artistic influence, race, urban life, and many other topics. The concise, direct, powerful, poetic, and enigmatic words of Basquiat, like his art, continue to resonate.
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