Basquiat Paperback – February 23, 2010

As other reviewers have said, buy the much larger hardcover copy of this book. I bought the paperback (at about 1/3 of the price) but the reproductions of the artwork are a little too small. This book is really about Basquiat's artwork, which is fine. It does include on pp. 26-27 a full copy and a detail of "Philistines," (1982), which in October, 1983:"Basquiat's painting "The Philistines," (sic) is included in the exhibition "Expressive Painting after Picasso," Fondation (sic) Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland. He is shown alongside artists such as Joan Miro, Jean Dubuffet, Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock. Basquiat's work appears on the cover of the exhibition catalogue."From "Basquiat: Boom For Real," (2017), Edited by Dieter Buchhart and Eleanor Nairne, with Lotte Johnson, page 274. If you want get the artwork and some background information about Basquiat, his life and times, buy "Basquiat: Boom For Real," which is available at Amazon for $37.42, shipped.Jean-Michel Basquiat, (BASS-KEY-AH), born 12/22/60, Brooklyn, New York, died 8/12/88 (27), Manhattan, N.Y.In about 1973, (when he was 13), his mother was committed to a mental institution. Looking at JMB's works, you can see the influence of his mother ("Gray's Anatomy" book she gave him in the hospital after he was hit by a car at age seven), and I believe her difficulties deeply affected him.

I live in Spain and received the book very fast.I was very excited about see more pictures about this young artist who died so soon.The book was in perfect conditions, and I enjoy it a lot.I bought another book of basquiat from Taschen ed. but is not as good as this one. It has less pictures and less interesting paintings.I strongly recommend this book. In order to make a small complaint I'd love to have seen more pictures of the paintings made in collaboration with Andy Warhol.Thank you very much.

An incredibly well done monograph on Basquiat. I own every single Basquiat book, including the "raisonne" (three volume set), the early baghoomian, Kujke Gallery, etc..etc..and this one holds up. Personally, I think if you love an artist, you should buy whatever monograph comes out, if you have the budget.

The African-American, Hispanic, and also Haitian sources of Basquiat's art can be seen in its color, imagery, and jazz-like energy. Most broadly, however, and formally, his art displays a "semiotic imagination." As Kellie John clarifies in the critical essay "Lost in Translation - Jean-Michel in the [Re]Mix," this is what differentiates Basquiat's art from graffiti; though he has been reflexively lumped into this field of edgy, exotic urban art as an especially inspired graffiti artist. The art critic Okwui Enwezor cited by Kellie also places Basquiat within a broader framework by seeing his art as "an attempt to construct exotic, non-Western aesthetic systems on the margins of modernism."The three other critical essays heavily illustrated with relevant paintings similarly seek to find motives, aesthetic strategies, and accomplishments accounting for Basquiat's influence and artistic success not only in contemporary art, but for the field and the history of art. Marc Mayer is explicit in this in his essay "Basquiat in History". The two other essays titled "In the Cipher: Basquiat and Hip-Hop Culture" and "The Defining Years: Notes on Five Key Works" respectively relate the artist to a predominant, heterogeneous urban cultural style and closely examine early works for techniques, practices, and interests giving the art an identity and playing out over the artistic career.Between the heavily-illustrated essays and sections between them with 30 or so paintings each, the number of Basquiat paintings is well over 100. While not definitive because the essays are each in their separate ways so penetrating and revealing and the paintings are not ordered or documented as in a catalog raisonne for example, this edition of this leading modern, urban artist brings Basquiat into focus while offering continually unexpected insights, connections, and biographical and cultural topics.

So many beautiful pictures! I gave this book to my boyfriend for his birthday as he is a big fan and he has been obsessed ever since. Definitely one for fans and new comers a like. Very reasonably priced considering how dense with colour pictures it is. So happy.

The book offers a variety of essays on Basquiat. There is a chapter dedicated to his use of words, well written, insufficient for academics though. The publication is fairly extensive and covers both biographical and critical aspect of this author.

I was so excited to get this book. One of my favorite artist. Ordered the book and within a week I received it. Very happy!

Was in mint shape. A great book.