Basquiat at Gagosian

Very few art openings could inspire what the Wall Street Journal referred to as a mob scene on a cold February evening in Chelesea, New York. And yet, three weeks later, people cannot stop talking about the Jean-Michel Basquiat retrospective at Gagosian Gallery.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Basquiat showed a prococious talent for drawing at a very age. Encouraged by his parents to pursue his craft, he was recognized as a graffiti poet and musician as a mere teenager. In 1981, by the age of twenty, Basquiat began painting seriously and selling his work to Soho galleries.

Featuring more than fifty of his paintings from 1980 to his tragic death in 1988, the Gagosian show leads viewers through the rise of a young artist, one who had the unique balance of talent and poise to inspire a new African-influenced modernism while attracting serious collectors. It is a rare joy to catch a show like his.

February 7- April 6th
Gagosian Gallery
555 West 24th Street
New York, NY 10011

This entry was posted on Friday, March 1st, 2013 at 8:00 am. It is filed under Creative Culture, New York City. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.