This is the first exhibition of Jean Michel Basquiat to be held in Hong Kong, hosted by the Gagosian Gallery on Pedder Street.
A little about the artist...
Basquiat started his art career as a street artist in New York, himself and his friend Al Diaz came up with the name SAMO© (pronounced same-oh, taken from the phrase 'same old shit') to tag the both poetic and sarcastic phrases they grafittied all over Manhatten. He left graffiti art and the alter-ego SAMO behind in 1981 after the pair parted ways. Diaz turned to the music industry, and Basquiat covered the streets of downtown New York with SAMO© IS DEAD and began to focus his creativity on painting and drawing. Between the boom of Neo-expressionist art in the 80's and Basquiat's raw talent, he became noticed very quickly in the art world and his works were soon in high demand.
Basquiat started his art career as a street artist in New York, himself and his friend Al Diaz came up with the name SAMO© (pronounced same-oh, taken from the phrase 'same old shit') to tag the both poetic and sarcastic phrases they grafittied all over Manhatten. He left graffiti art and the alter-ego SAMO behind in 1981 after the pair parted ways. Diaz turned to the music industry, and Basquiat covered the streets of downtown New York with SAMO© IS DEAD and began to focus his creativity on painting and drawing. Between the boom of Neo-expressionist art in the 80's and Basquiat's raw talent, he became noticed very quickly in the art world and his works were soon in high demand.
In 1985 Basquiat appeared of the cover of the New York Times Magazine, the juxtaposition of his elegant three piece suit and tie with his dreadlocks and bare feet exemplifies the manner in which he made disjointed styles and disparate elements work together with ease in his paintings.
Only three years later in 1988 Basquiat met his untimely death after overdosing on Heroin in his apartment in New York, the '27 club' had it's newest member of artists who had succumbed to the fate of the 'live fast, die young' lifestyle.
It was a more than worthwhile trip from the NT to central to see the explosive, surreal and thought provoking works of this legendary artist.
A few images below of the pieces that can be seen in the Gallery (taken from the website, no photos allowed to be taken photos in the exhibition hall).
Self Portrait, 1984
The exhibition is held in the Gagosian Gallery from May 21st - August 10th
7/F Pedder Building
12 Pedder Street
Central,
Hong Kong.
Come out of Central station, exit D1, go up the small flight of stairs you will come to just after walking past Abercrombie and Fitch, the elevators are on your left. Go to floor 7.
For more information and pictures of displayed work; http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/jean-michel-basquiat--may-21-2013
"I don't think about art while I work, I try to think about life."
Jean-Michell Basquiat.
No comments:
Post a Comment