When was Basquiat alive?
1960-1988
Name two Basquiat artworks
Obnoxious Liberals and Defacement
When was Obnoxious Liberals painted?
1982
What are the structural aspects of Obnoxious Liberals?
- abstract graffiti style
- two white figures next to a chained-up black figure. One white figure in a farmer’s hat appears to be buying the black figure from the other white figure in an Uncle Sam top hat
What is the intention of Obnoxious Liberals?
- To spread awareness about the systematic oppression of black people in America
- Anti-capitalistic Basquiat expresses that white society works against black people and sells them into modern-day ‘acceptable’ slavery through allusions in his artwork
What does the chained up black figure in Obnoxious Liberals represent?
- allusion to black people being sold into slavery and how the capitalist system still works against black people
- black people forced to work in low-ranking jobs while white people are in the highest corporate positions
What does the white figure in the Uncle Sam top hat with a sign on him reading “NOT FOR SALE” represent in Obnoxious Liberals?
white men aren’t affected by oppression built into society, they are always ‘marked’ as being off-limits when it comes to capitalistic discrimination
What does the ‘SAMSON’ name tag behind the black figure represent in Obnoxious Liberals?
- Basquiat was catholic raised - often includes the Bible in his works
- Samson is a physically strong hero and a symbol of brute strength
- black people are often ‘chained-up’ and forced into compliance - perceived to be physically stronger and ‘dangerous’, even if they are innocent
When was Defacement painted?
1983
What are the structural aspects of Defacement?
depicts a black figure with swirls and stars around their head next to two white police officers holding batons underneath the text “¿DEFACEMENT©?”
What is the intention of Defacement?
- memorial to black artist Michael Stewart who was beaten to death by NYC Transit Police after allegedly graffitiing a wall in a subway station
- presents Michael to the viewers in the same way that the police officers saw him, as a criminal black man
- displays how he was killed for expressing his creativity while keeping his identity vague to show many black people have been killed due to police brutality
What do the swirls and stars around the black figure’s head represent in Defacement?
- cliché halo that cartoon characters get after they’ve been knocked out
- displays how Stewart wasn’t seen as a human by the officers, but rather as a negative caricature of black men
What does the black figure in Defacement represent?
- represents Stewart
- isn’t given any specific facial features or clothes like the officers
- Officers didn’t see Michael as an individual with depth, they only saw him as the colour of his skin, black
What does the word “¿DEFACEMENT©?” above the figures in Defacement represent?
- copyright symbol - somebody legally owns the rights to make and distribute copies of a particular work
- implies everyone should be able to make street art even if it’s illegal, as everyone has the right to creativity
List three points for Obnoxious Liberals
- ‘NOT FOR SALE’ sign on Uncle Sam top hat figure
- chained up black figure
- ‘SAMSON’ name tag
List three points for Defacement
- swirls and stars halo
- black figure has no clothes or facial features
- copyright symbol
