Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) was an American artist and one of the most influential figures of Neo-Expressionism. Emerging from New York’s downtown art scene, he developed a distinctive visual language combining expressive figures, fragmented text, anatomical references, symbols, and elements drawn from history and popular culture.
His work explored identity, race, power, inequality, and the legacy of colonialism, often bringing together personal experience with references to music, sport, and art history. Basquiat also produced a small body of original prints, translating his energetic line and layered imagery into graphic form. His raw, intellectually complex compositions secured his lasting importance in contemporary art.