Fransheska's Short Essay

Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat were both significant figures in the world of art and media during their time. Even to this day they still hold an impact on the public and inspire individuals in several forms. What is it about these two individuals that carry such intense movements? Both artists connected with the public on an emotional level. Famous people who derive from nothing are usually looked up to the most and in this case, these are two artists who worked hard to reach their level of fame. Basquiat was an African-American artist who despite coming from a middle-class family decided to leave that ‘comfort’ and survive on his own in the city of New York. From living on making postcards and t-shirts Basquiat rose to fame in the span of just a few years. His work often derived from identifying himself as a Black-Hispanic man and represented all black people. His race in his lifetime was a constant feature that many attacked. During his years of fame, the public often took his race and personality as something to talk about rather than his work itself. While these comments bothered him, he continued to represent his identity as a black man within his work and often showcased other of his friends within his work. Ana Mendieta, a Cuban artist, showcased her race within her work as well,  “It is a way of reclaiming my roots and becoming one with nature. Although the culture in which I live is part of me, my roots and cultural identity are a result of my Cuban heritage”(Overlooked No More: Ana Mendieta, a Cuban Artist Who Pushed Boundaries). Through his work, it is evident that Basquiat did not leave his heritage behind and in fact, let race be a common theme within his work. His work was an open door to his personal life and yet also a mirror that allowed others to look at themselves.

Aside from race Basquiat’s artwork captured the attention of many people due to its form. His work fell out of what was considered the ‘norm’ in those days. Critiques sometimes compared his work to that of a child’s art and yet his work was much more than just ‘scribbles’ on a paper. His work was a form of Neo-expressionism, with its harsh brushwork and vivid colors but most importantly the raw meaning behind each piece. The contrast to minimalism art was high and Basquiat overall wanted his work to be different. Within all aspects, outside of painting included, he did not like to meet the standards of what others expected of him and instead preferred to move freely without any source of control over him. “Guided by notions that art matters, that artists' voices are important in shaping society and that public spaces are places or creative and free expression”(When Artists Create Flags - Artworks of Creative Time’s Pledges of Allegiance Project). While this quote refers to the works of flags it connects greatly to the way Basquiat made his work. While his work was a voice to black people he was also a source of change within the world of art. He often commented that he didn’t want his art to be directed to the typical high-class group that viewed art, his work was for everyone to see and enjoy. The way he displayed his work was always to ensure that everyone was capable of looking at his art and connecting with the piece on a personal level. 

Andy Warhol on the other hand grew up in a lower-class family who all supported him with his interest in the art field. Despite living in poverty his father, who died while Warhol was young, left a will that was meant for Warhol’s education. His health as a child caused several hardships that he had to face years later. He was characterized as scrawny, weird and Warhol himself even considered himself to not be good looking. On top of his insecurities, he was a gay man a, controversial topic during his time, and yet he still depicted his sexuality within his work. In general Andy Warhol was a bizarre individual and also a genius in understanding what worked well. He is looked up to not only by the work he has done but by the way he had risen into fame. He was a hard-working person whose main goal was to become famous and wealthy. Similar to Basquiat Warhol was determined to reach the top and essentially be number one. His obsession with fame brought him to be considered a workaholic. He often enjoyed working day and night and at one point he had his mother live with him who only made his working schedule more accessible as he had no worries about home duties any longer. Growing within a poor family seemed to be the main factor in creating recurring themes within his work. While he had an interest in fame it would only make sense that his attention would also be on the likes of celebrities. As so he depicts several celebrities within his work, some of which he considered good friends. Money was a prominent theme as well such as his coca-cola pieces and Campbell soup. These pieces however did bring some controversy as many thought it was something that was made as a form of commercializing and also copying rather than ‘art’ itself. Several individuals during that time and even now considered his work to be theft and essentially something that goes against copyright. He involved time and death within his work. Due to nearly dying twice he liked to showcase the thoughts of death within his work, often with the message of an inevitable end that would happen to everyone. Another relevant feature of his work was the idea of beauty. A technique of his was to add imperfections within his work whether it be through color or form in general. He combined that technique with repetition within his work such as the Marilyn Monroe pieces and also usage of color blocking to enhance these imperfections.  “Modern social relations emphasize the importance of appearances. In every social encounter, we are directed to think about how to make a good impression and how to influence the opinion of others. We pay attention to the other, and they turn and pay attention to us”(The Art of Self Invention by Joanne Finkelstein). Warhol often saw beauty in others but struggled to see the same within himself. He hid those insecurities within wigs and the clothing he wore. Through his anxiety and feelings towards the way he looked, he showcased these features within his work, an action that essentially connected his work to his viewers who were capable of connecting this to their own insecurities. He acknowledged the ‘imperfect’ features of people within the imperfect world they all lived in. The topics of looks were most evident through his work with celebrities as he showcased the way celebrities were used as marketing tools through their looks rather than actual people.  

Both Basquiat and Warhol were hard-working individuals who left a mark within the art world through their work. They both went out of art’s comfort zone to create pieces that would essentially be remembered not only through their looks but their powerful meaning. As they both rose to fame through their work their ways of handling fame was different. Both artists had an intense passion to become famous and known. However, Warhol did have an easier time to acknowledge his fame and worth throughout his years. His personality seemed to be the main factor of not letting fame and the media break him down. His interviews were typically short and of ‘no’ and ‘yes’ responses. While he was famous and spent time with famous groups he was far more secluded with his private life. Basquiat on the other hand, despite his drive to be number one, allowed the media to get the best of him. It is acknowledged by many that perhaps his rise to fame was far too quick for him to get used to. From suddenly being no one to being recognized by many was depicted to be a stressful time for Basquiat. His new wealth was also something different to him and he usually never knew what to do with the money. His naiveness into this new world caused several individuals to come in and out of his life with the purpose of using him and as a sensitive man, this hurt Basquiat deeply. Facing racism and negative critiques was also an aspect leading to his fall. The stress he underwent through with this new fame and sudden deadlines to complete work made him undergo the usage of drugs which in the end was the source that killed him. While living these two artists were an emblem of their time and often considered to be ahead of their time. Their backgrounds and drive for success, as well as hard-working personalities, were factors to their success as artists. Their work proved to be a changing point within the world of art.

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. BBC and Penguin, 1972.

Finkelstein, Joanne. The Art of Self Invention: Image and Identity in Popular Visual Culture. I. B. Tauris, 2007.

“My Perfect, Imperfect Body.” The Andy Warhol Museum, www.warhol.org/my-perfect-imperfect-body/.