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Jean-Michel
Basquiat was born on December 22, 1960 in Brooklyn,
New York. Early on, Basquiat displayed a proficiency
in art which was encouraged by his mother. In
1977, Basquiat, along with friend Al Diaz begins
spray painting cryptic aphorisms on subway trains
and around lower Manhattan and signing them
with the name SAMO© (Same Old Shit). "SAMO©
as an end to mindwash religion, nowhere politics,
and bogus philosophy," "SAMO© saves idiots,"
"Plush safe he think; SAMO© ." In 1978 Basquiat
left home for good and quit school just one
year before graduating form high school.
He lived with friends and began selling hand
painted postcards and T-shirts. In June of 1980,
Basquiat's art was publicly exhibited for the
first time in a show . Basquiat continued to
exhibit his work around New York City and in
Europe, participating in shows along with the
likes of Keith Haring, Barbara Kruger. Basquiat
had a fare amount of success throughout his
life. He was an excessive drug user and on August
12, 1988, he died as the result of a heroin
overdose. He was 27.
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