America long drawn out history of race has been a bone of contention and one which has in been placed before the public eye with today's contemporary artists.
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist with Haitian and Puerto Rican roots. He used social commentary in his artworks as a tool for introspection and for identifying with his experiences in the black community, and attacks on power structures and systems of racism. His painting reflected his roots in Puerto Rican culture as well as his Haitian culture. Basquiat's career in art started early with SAMO grafitti which carried cryptic statements.In his later art career Basquiat would be keenly aware of the racism frequently embedded in his reception, whether it took the form of positive or negative stereotypes. In his work, he integrated critique of an art world that both celebrated and tokenized him seeing the American history rife with exclusion, invisibility and paternalism. In his works he would call out the hypocrisies he viewed.
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| Eyes and Eggs, Jean-Michel Basquiat 1983. (acrylic, oilstick and paper collage on cotton drop cloth with metal hinges) 119 x 97 in. (302.3 x 246.4 cm) |
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Dos Cabezas, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, 1982 acrylic and oilstick on canvas with wood supports, 59.75 × 60.5 in (151.8 × 154 cm) |
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| Riding with Death, Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1988 |
Arthur Jafa in comparison, who is best know for his video and cinematography encapsulates the same message of inequality which causes the viewer to question their bias toward the African American community often reflecting the violence and positive influence to the overall arc that is the history of America. His video Love Is the Message, The Message Is Death resonates with images of the African American experience with a somber hymn that captures the viewer and takes them along on a ride, leaving you wondering and questioning you view on the subject.
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