Biography :
Biography Became interested in art at a very young age – his father would bring home paper He wanted to paint and draw all night. His mother would take him to museums and Galleries but he never had a formal training
At 17 he started spray painting graffiti art under the tag of SAMO (Same 'ole shit) and quickly became renowned through this. "Since I was 17," Basquiat explained to New York Times Magazine contributor McGuigan, "I thought I might be a star. I'd think about all my heroes, Charlie Parker, Jimi Hendrix.... I had a romantic feeling of how people had become famous."
Through this he took part in high profile exhibitions and came to the attention of several important art dealers including Annina Nosei, a SoHo dealer who would take Basquiat on as a gallery artist later that year (1981). Basquiat rose to prominence. After two years his works were selling for $2,000 to $10,000. He was living the highlife.
In 1982 he became close friends with Warhol who was a positive influence and they collaborated on many projects. Basquiat's drug use began to spiral after Warhol's death in 1987. He died in 1988 from a heroin overdose
Untitled (skull) 1981 :
Untitled (skull) 1981 Acrylic/mixed media