Jean-Michel Basquiat

Synopsis: In the early 80s, a new artistic avant-garde began to sweep across the walls and streets of downtown New York with the emergence of a 15-year-old Brooklyn teenager who would change the course of art history.

Son of a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother, Jean-Michel Basquiat became the first great black neo-expressionist painter to initiate Occidental Modern Art to the rest of the world. Working at a dazzling speed, Basquiat accomplished his work in less than 7 years; like a modern age Rimbaud, his work bears all the marks of youth.

Filmmaker Jean-Michel Vecchiet constructs a dramatic narrative invoking a maelstrom of emotions, a whirlwind of images, music and testimonies to examine Basquiat’s journey towards glory - and death. Alternating between interviews, archive footage, period films with friends, photographs, paintings by the artist, negatives and images of the city, Vecchiet’s chronology mirrors the pace and dazzling success of the painter during this electric period in 80s New York.

Extras include a 35-minute film of interviews with Glenn O’Brien, Maripol, Suzanne Mallouk, Agnes B and Enrico Navarra.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Year of release: 2017
Notes: In English, French. Subtitles: English, French
Subjects: Art
Keywords: art - American; New York; Basquiat, Jean-Michel

Name: Illuminations
Email: louise@illuminationsmedia.co.uk
Web: http://www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk External site opens in new window
Phone: 020 7288 8400
Address: Studio 121, ScreenWorks
22 Highbury Grove
London
N5 2EF
Notes: Illuminations produces and distributes programmes on arts-related subjects, some of which are made for television and others in conjunction with cultural institutions to accompany specific exhibitions. Many titles are available for sale on DVD, including continuing series on leading contemporary and twentieth century artists and modern architecture, as well as a few programmes on religion, drama, history and ideas.

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