Basquiat, the book

Simply untitled "Basquiat," this book published by Taschen, explores the extraordinary work of the young graffiti artist whose meteoric and often controversial career lasted for only eight years until his death at the age of twenty-seven.  From the streets of New York to the walls of its most prominent galleries, Jean-Michel Basquiat ( 1960-1988 ) was catapulted to international frame in his early 20s and died of a drug-overdose. The subject of a feature film by fellow artist Julian Schnabel, Basquiat is one of the most admired artists to emerge from the 1980s art boom.


"I was a really lousy artist as a kid. Too abstract expressionist, or I'd draw a ram's head, really messy. I'd never win painting contests. I remember losing to a guy who did a perfect spiderman."
Jean Michel Basquiat

Basquiat will be released on February, 2011
Publisher Taschen

Graffiti Art, Street Art and " CRASH "

Recently, several editorials have been published on Graffiti Art. The Huffington Post had a slideshow of cities that have the best street art - Berlin, Philadelphia or Chicago were the cities listed among others such as LA, New york and London.

My pick is Berlin with Mentalgassi, view Mentalgassi, Big in Berlin.

ArtInfo also announced the launch of the Urban Art Foundation in New York, a new organization that aims to protect graffiti artists, and to offer financial backing and legal representation for those arrested for tagging city streets. A hope to procure landmark status for some of the city's finest street art and promote this art form in public schools.

Here is a selection of images shot in various cities by photographer Peter Politanoff.

Madrid

Venice Beach, CA

Downtown LA

This brings me to John Matos ( aka CRASH ), a famous American graffiti artist. Growing up in the Bronx NY, John Matos started his graffiti career traveling the trains on school nights when he was 13. He was first noticed through his murals on subway cars and dilapidated buildings. As he got older, he transferred his art from the street to canvases and has exhibited his work at museum's worldwide. He is now regarded as a pioneer of the Graffiti art movement.

The artist at work

Images courtesy of John Matos personal album.

View more on " CRASH "

To end this post, an image of a new mural in downtown New York by CA-based artist Barry Mc Gee -aka Twist - an homage to graffiti writers.

Graffiti Prints the trend

Designs, lettering, layering and splashes of color to wear in celebration of street art and graffiti-art. Graffiti writing first appeared on Philadelphia trains in the late sixties. Then the trend expanded in New York in the seventies and reached maturity in the eighties. Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and John Matos "CRASH" were it's great exponents.

Photo by Steven Meisel

Jean Charles de Castelbajac

Marni

Cesare Paciotti

Tsumori Chisato

Diane Von Furstenberg

Furla

Vivianne Westwood

Wunderkind

Moschino