Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child is a documentary film directed by Tamra Davis that was released in 1996. This film is about famous painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, born and raised in Brooklyn. Basquiat had a Haitian American father and a Puerto Rican mother. I chose this movie because I am enrolled in Art Through Cinematic Lens and we are currently looking at Jean- Michel Basquiat’s work, and I have been interested in his artwork because he makes some of his work to be a mystery and you have to try and untangle the piece. I also chose this film because I wanted to learn more about Basquiat’s life and how he became the artist he is today. It portrays how Basquiat dealt with a diverse community and with being one of the only black artists in the New York gallery scene. Basquiat grew up being involved with a friend group who enjoyed graffiti and Jean took an interest in doing graffiti and how it led Jean to be an artist. Also, he became one of the most important artists of his generation. Without knowing the little I do from class discussions and research about Jean, I was very interested in this film because you could tell from Jean’s lifestyle growing up that his diverse background became an inspiration to his paintings. Basquiat is today recognized to be one of the most influential and famous artists of the twentieth century.
The film begins with Jean-Michel Basquiat and an interview taking place with Tamra Davis. Their friend Becky Johnston was the one asking Basquiat the questions, at the same time the movie showed glimpses of Basquiat being at work on some of his portraits. Also, they talked about downtown Manhattan and expressed how everyone could do anything there that they wanted to express themselves. For example, you did not need a regular job to become to be an artist in Manhattan. With the interview still being placed throughout the film Jean explained how he did not have a lot of money and lived in the streets going place to place for living, but it was mentioned that he did it in a more intense style way than any other individual living on the streets. Basquiat’s style was one that would just draw a crowds attention in right away, because it is so eye catching with vibrant colors, and with how much expression he put into one piece of art that people would be confused with some of his markings but the audience would understand that those markings meant something to Basquiat. Also, Basquiat ran away from home at the age of seventeen and by the age of eighteen he was the most advanced that he could be with music and art because that was what he was most passionate in and he loved to express his life events and art and music is how he expressed himself. Also, he was the most advanced that he could be living on the streets and on his own forced independence and it made him the best artist that he could be.
The approach of the film seemed to be very inspirational. I think this because Basquiat moved out at seventeen and had no parent supervision then and was on his own, not financially stable and struggled to get by but was a brilliant kid and made a living without anybody’s help but himself. He did not stress about much he just went with the flow and did not think very much he just did. Eventually down the road people took a big notice to his graffiti work and work that they saw of his on the street and they thought the artwork was amazing and Annina Nosei decided to give him a place to work in her gallery because they were that amazed with the style of his work. I thought his love for his work was just amazing, I do not think I have witnessed another artist love or care that much about artwork. During the film even in the studio that he was living it there was artwork Basquiat created all over. For example, Basquiat even felt the need to do artwork on front of the fridge. It was so inspiring to me that he loved his artwork that much, and not having a lot of money, Basquiat found parts off the street that he brought home and used them as supplies and would do artwork on them.
Another feature that I enjoyed from this film is how much they brought up how much people loved Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work even though he had a tough background and bad experiences growing up. During Basquiat’s early years he was involved in a life-threatening accident and later on got caught up into drugs. No one took that into consideration and judged him and turned away from his work. They didn’t care they were shocked that someone with Basquiat’s background became so talented. Buyers chased after Jean looking for his work. Fans either loved Basquiat’s work or hated it and in this film, critics loved his work, work ethic, and passion for what he does. Also, it became another inspiration to children that no matter how rough of a lifestyle they must not ever let up on their dreams because anything can happen in life. Basquiat with being homeless at the age of seventeen with his decision and barely making it by and at the age of nineteen now a millionaire. It is just amazing and such an inspiration to not even the children but adults and other artists around.
In conclusion, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child was a very inspirational and interesting film to watch. I really enjoyed watching this and learning about Basquiat. Before watching this film I was not really excited to watch it because I thought it was just going to be about Basquiat’s artwork, but I truly enjoyed watching this film because it portrayed more than just his artwork, and talked about his whole life background from his early years, to him because the famous artist that he is. Also, it described the type of person Jean was and how he became an amazing artist all on his own. Overall, I would give this movie a five star rating and definitely recommend to a friend and I would watch it again.
