Jean-Michel Basquiat
"I don't think about art when I work - I think about life."

BIG IDEA:     
Create a drawing or mixed media artwork inspired by the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
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​STUDENT OBJECTIVES:
  • Introduce students to American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
  • Incorporate both words and images in artwork. 
  • Discuss the use of symbolism, color, line, shape, space and emphasis to convey meaning about personal identity in art.​
EXAMPLES OF JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT'S ARTWORK
BELOW:  Student examples of Basquiat inspired art 
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David
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Nicole
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Laila-Jasmine
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Landon
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Jordon
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Athalia
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Ryan
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India
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Hailee
ACTIVITY #1 : Watch the the Basquiat TEDtalk video, The Chaotic Brilliance of Artist Jean Michel Basquiat OR read the attached biography. ​
brief_biography_-_jean_michel_basquiat.pdf
File Size: 73 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
ACTIVITY #2: Answer 3 out of the 8 questions of your choice below. 

​QUESTIONS ABOUT BASQUIAT:
  • Where was Jean-Michel Basquiat born?
  • Basquiat got his start as a street artist under a pseudonym (a fictitious name). What was his pseudonym?
  • Which were source material and inspiration for Jean-Michel Basquiat?
  • What did Basquiat use to make his canvases when he did not have money?
  • Jean-Michel Basquiat once said, “I am not a black artist, I am an artist.” Is it important to think about the race of an artist, when looking at their work? Why or why not?
  • Basquiat often made connections between his art and the social challenges of his time. What subjects do you think he would be painting, if he were alive today?
  • How would you describe a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat to another viewer?
  • How can we extend Basquiat’s groundbreaking artistic approach to confront issues of racism, class struggle, social hypocrisy, while challenging perceptions and opening up new dialogues? ​​
THREE EXAMPLES OF ARTISTS INSPIRED BY BASQUIAT: 
ACTIVITY #3: Create a drawing or mixed media artwork inspired by Basquiat. You are allowed to use a medium or multiple mediums and supplies of your choice.  You have freedom to get creative. There are many references below to help you with ideas.  Images of symbols and videos along with step by step guides. 

REQUIREMENTS:
  • Must represent and communicate the style or influence of Basquiat.
  • Have at least one human or animal figure.
  • Have  at least one -  three words within artwork.
  • Have a crown placed somewhere in your art.
  • Have at least one folklore/hobo/personal symbol in your art (see examples below)
IDEAS: 
  • Use newspaper or a brown paper bag as your background. 
  • ​Use wood as your background. 
  • Draw with your non dominant hand.
  • Draw without looking at your paper. 

REFERENCES BELOW TO HELP GUIDE YOU: 
ONLINE YOUTUBE LESSON
ONLINE ROLL A DICE - YOU CHOOSE BASQUIAT'
  • ​You can use these references below to help influence and guide you with your facial features.  You can either simply select face shapes or roll a dice to let the dice pick for you.  
  • Below are more symbols that you might also find in Basquiat's background along with more fun shapes of facial features.  Basquiat was known to use many folklore and hobo symbols pictured below/far right.
  • What symbols will you put in your artwork or what would a personalized symbol look like if you create your own?
  • These symbols, really hieroglyphs, appeared on posts and bridges, fences and outbuildings. Hobos scrawled the secret  language with whatever writing implements were available—a lump of coal, chalk, a nail, or even a sharp-edged rock. It was a survival code that of hastily scrawled symbols that only the  initiated would understand.
​​VIDEO: One Minute History - Hobo Code 
VIDEO: The Mostly True Story of Hobo Graffiti