Jean-Michel Basquiat

Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 22, 1960. With a Haitian-American father and a Puerto Rican mother, Basquiat's diverse cultural heritage was one of his many sources of inspiration.

Self-taught, Basquiat initiated his artistic journey by drawing on sheets of paper brought home by his father, who worked as an accountant. Embracing his creative instincts, he received strong encouragement from his mother to fully explore and pursue his artistic talents.

Basquiat first attracted attention for his graffiti in New York City in the late 1970s, under the name "SAMO." Working with a close friend, he tagged subway trains and Manhattan buildings with cryptic aphorisms.