A Prelude to the Life, Legacy, and Lingering Questions of Jean-Michel Basquiat,
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s presence in the art world did not unfold quietly; it erupted. His arrival was less an ascent and more a rupture—an abrupt tear through the expectations of a polished, exclusive, white-dominated art scene. Basquiat painted with a force that felt both urgent and ancient, creating a visual language that rewired what contemporary art was allowed to look like and who was allowed to define it. His legacy begins at this moment of rupture, where he transformed personal impulse into cultural shockwave.