JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT (1960-1988) by Paul Tschinkel

Excerpt of ART/new york program no. 30A: JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT: An Interview, available for purchase at www.artnewyork.org/store. On this program we see a rare interview with the mercurial painter, Jean-Michel Basquiat, conducted in 1981 in his studio on Crosby Street, in SOHO. Basquiat, an internationally renowned artist as well as the enfant terrible of the 1980's art scene, died tragically in 1988 at the age of 28. Both during his brief life and since his untimely death, stories and legends abound which chronicle his meteoric rise to art world stardom. In 1996 Basquiat's life was fictionalized in the film entitled BASQUIAT, directed by fellow artist Julian Schnabel. On this ART/new york program, the 21 year old Basquiat is interviewed by art historian - curator Marc H. Miller, PhD. Already a well known art world figure, Basquiat's fondness for high jinks as well as his exuberant spirit are captured as he describes his working process and comments upon his art world persona. 34 mins.