Haring and Basquiat: Artists of New York

For this particular blog, Cash Myricks shares what he had previously written on two of the most-talented and tragic contemporary artists to ever come out of New York – Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Keith Haring

Born on the 4th of May 1958, Haring lived out his childhood in Reading, Pennsylvania.  At a young age, the kid showed interest in drawing, taking inspiration from his dad, who was a comic book artist, and the popular Disney movies at the time.

During high school, he enrolled in the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh.  He dropped out after losing interest in commercial graphic art.  As days went on, he took to New York after a fateful subway ride showed him his would-be canvas.  While riding in the train, he saw a black wall where an advertisement was supposed to be.  Immediately, it struck him as the perfect canvas and it then continued to influence his style of art.

As years passed on, Haring’s art had taken a more solid shape as it continued to influence hundreds more contemporary artists today.  He advocated for different diseases, mainly AIDS, using his style of pop art and graffiti had been more well-known.  However, in a stroke of irony, he was diagnosed with AIDS, which would eventually take his life.

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in 1960 to an American-Puerto Rican mother, and Haitian father.  Noticing young Basquiat’s love and talent for art, his mother regularly took him to art museums and had him study in a school primarily centered on art.  His parents separated when he was only nine years old, which had a profound impact on how Basquiat saw the world. 

By 17, Basquiat left both high school and his home.  He was homeless until some of his friends allowed him to stay at their place.  Throughout all this time, Basquiat embraced his passion for art, sold shirts and postcards he painted, and started a graffiti campaign with Al Diaz in New York, under SAMO.  And this was where his work started getting recognized.

Basquiat became one of the most famous artists in the Neo-expressionism and Punk Art scene.  However, just like so many tortured artists, Basquiat had drug problems and died of a heroin overdose.  He was only 27.

Even today, decades after his tragic end, Jean-Michel Basquiat remains an inspiration to contemporary artists everywhere, and his works, fierce examples of contemporary art, Cash Myricks notes.

When it comes to contemporary art, Cash Myricks is the go-to guy.  The student from New York enjoys writing about modern-day artists, their artworks, and their impact on society.  Through his social media pages and blogs, Cash Myricks hopes to encourage others to learn more about art and inspire creativity.  Learn more about Cash and art here.