“This work of art is significant for a number of reasons. It is one of the artist’s most complex, delicate, and unconventional multi-panel paintings.”
Pulsating with raw energy and a compelling visceral strength, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict is a masterpiece of Jean-Michael Basquiat’s oeuvre, painted when the artist was at the magisterial height of his creative powers. Reminiscent of a Renaissance altarpiece in its imposing scale and triptych format, this is a seminal and utterly unique construction; through this devotional totem the artist seeks to ennoble the street and enshrine himself and his graffiti artist peers as heroes and martyrs.
Befitting its importance, the work is widely referenced in literature and has been included in several major exhibitions worldwide, including the artist’s 1992 retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; solo exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and Fondation Beyeler, Basel; and most recently, Jean-Michel Basquiat at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris in 2018. It was painted for the artist’s pivotal exhibition at Fun Gallery in the crucial year of 1982, and it belongs to a select group of compelling works that utilise quotidian objects as support for the artist’s expressionistic vision, articulately synthesising a wealth of divergent influences into a cohesive magnum opus. Appropriating found materials including a domestic door – an object which Basquiat cited as one of his earliest painted surfaces prior to his commercial success – the artist orchestrates an emotively complex and richly self-referential representation of his experience as a Black artist navigating the transition from living on the street to fame and fortune. Executed with the swift facility of graffiti and the masterful ingenuity of a painterly virtuoso, this work is a consummate example of Basquiat’s genius for sampling and synthesising the cultural tumult of a very modern kind of existence.
The painting is titled after James Joyce's critically acclaimed A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man, perhaps paying homage to the novel’s exploration of a young man’s religious and intellectual awakening. As noted by Fred Hoffman in an extended analysis of this work, the title also implies this is a self-portrait: “a personal statement of the artist himself… He saw the compelling literary title as an inspiration for his own recognition of graffiti artists, whom he saw as cultural heroes, but regarded by society as renegades, outliers, outlaws, and derelicts” (Fred Hoffman, The Art of Jean-Michel Basquiat, New York 2017, p. 211, 214). In labelling himself a “derelict” – another word for a vagrant or person abandoned by society – Basquiat presents a critical examination of his own identity. This is underscored by his fusion of typically “low” and “high” artistic references.
Though maintaining the spontaneity of graffiti in its paroxysmal execution, by the time this work was created in 1982 (when the artist was just 22 years old), Basquiat had fully transitioned from street to studio. With few resources other than sheer determination, within just four years the young artist progressed from intermittent bouts of homelessness and the ubiquitous dissemination of his “SAMO” graffiti tag across the city, to being introduced to an enamoured art world as “The Radiant Child” through René Ricard’s seminal Artforum article of December 1981. Basquiat’s early success provided him with the confidence to be more ambitious in scale, structure, and technique, as evidenced by the large-scale format and richly complex surface of Portrait. However, he maintained close ties to his artist peers who continued as graffitists; as Hoffman again notes, “For Basquiat, graffiti was not only part of his artistic foundation, but also a culture he continued to embrace and support… While Basquiat’s techniques result in a highly resolved and compelling pictorial composition, aspects of this work are strongly reminiscent of the actions of the graffitist. Reinforced by Basquiat’s reference to the urban milieu in his depiction of a skyscraper on the right edge of the central panel, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict may be seen as Basquiat’s tribute to his fellow artist[s] and [their] radical undertaking” (Ibid., pp. 211-212).
Executed on three found panels joined with hinges, the unique structure of Portrait draws upon Basquiat’s extraordinary familiarity with centuries of tradition by echoing the time-honoured format of the tripartite altarpiece, and references the religious and political powers that were associated with them. As explained by Hoffman, “The shape of the picture support of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict is one of the most irregular in the artist’s oeuvre... Like the altarpieces depicting Christ, the Madonna, saints and patrons in cathedrals and chapel apses that draw the worshipper from temporal existence to a spiritual higher plane, Basquiat’s work helps to explain his vision of the world and proposes that the viewer approach his subject with a degree of reverential submission” (Ibid., p. 211). Assembled from discarded wood – including a once-functional door complete with coat hooks – the quotidian materials are thus elevated to the status of worshipped icon. Basquiat noted how “the first paintings” he ever made were on the ad-hoc surfaces of doors and windows: “I used the window shape as a frame and I just put the painting on the glass part and on doors I found on the street” (the artist quoted in: Exh. Cat., Basel, Fondation Beyeler, Basquiat, 2010, p. xxiii). Even after his transition to studio artist, doors and shutters became favoured supports for the artist’s visions throughout the rest of his career; thus the present work undoubtedly references his earlier involvement in graffiti culture through the intentional use of found media. Recalling the makeshift aesthetic of Rauschenberg’s revered Combine paintings, here a variety of sources and materials are collaged onto the wooden panels, evoking the frenetic strata of stimuli that characterised the metropolitan cacophony of Basquiat’s New York surrounds.
Art for Basquiat was a means of self-discovery and a voyage into the troubled depths of his own identity. Born in Brooklyn in 1960 to a Haitian father and New York Puerto Rican mother, Basquiat’s mixed ethnic heritage instilled in him the mentality of an outsider and with it a rebellious freedom that invigorates his art. He absorbed influences and references from both the Western and African traditions of his roots, from voodoo and tribal rituals, African masks and mysticism to Renaissance genre painting and Modern painters like Pablo Picasso and Cy Twombly, all the way to contemporary street slang and sports and musical stars of American pop culture. With a typically post-modern flair, Basquiat cut and pasted, mixed and matched these diverse and often conflicting elements of his identity to construct powerfully vital and evocative psychological portraits. In the present example, he inserts one of his characteristic mask-like faces, a dreadlocked, shamanistic portrait that confronts our gaze with wide, glaring eyes and gritted teeth. Inserted into the alter-like construction, the head becomes deified, even Christ-like: taken as the titular “artist,” set amongst the chaotic melee of street and graffiti references, the portrait can be read as a Romantic celebration of the street artist as martyr. Read alongside the central, haloed symbol of the three-pointed crown – one of Basquiat’s defining and most recognisable motifs – there is little doubt that this modern-day altar is intended to enshrine the bohemian spirit of the tortured artist as a fallen hero.
Private Collection
Image: © Heini Schneebeli / Bridgeman Images
RIGHT: Pablo Picasso, Self Portrait, 1907
Narodni Muzeum, Prague
Image: Luisa Ricciarini / © Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2024 / Bridgeman Images
Artwork: © Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2024
This reading is underscored by the panoply of words and phrases that adorn the surface of Portrait. For instance, under the red and black portrait: “HICE[ST]REX,” a Latin phrase for “Here is the King,” directly referring to the crucifixion of Jesus in the New Testament. The bracketed “[ST]” – a classic abbreviation – reinforces Basquiat’s self-proclamation as King of the Street, at once celebrating his graffiti heritage as he ascends to a new throne in the wider commercial art world, while also once again positioning the artist as a martyr. Coupled with the white cross and inscription “MORTE” on the centre panel, Basquiat underlines the tragic destiny of the street artist. Risking arrest, harm, even death – as in the case of the artist’s friend Michael Stewart, a young Black graffitist who was killed while in custody of the New York City police – these artists were seen as outsiders and threats. As Fred Hoffman describes, “In Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict, Jean-Michel Basquiat equated his plight and destiny, and by extension, that of graffitists, the young derelicts with whom he so closely identified, with the historical figure of Jesus Christ at the moment of his crucifixion… In this light, Basquiat’s “portrait” or characterization of the artist is not merely that of a derelict, but also a martyr whose foresight is perceived as a threat to commonly held societal practice. Basquiat’s young derelict is that individual willing to die for his vision. The painting becomes a shrine or altarpiece honoring those fallen heroes, those alienated young derelicts who are perceived as a threat to society” (Ibid., pp. 214-15).
The red and black self-portrait, along with the work’s title, suggests that Basquiat is conveying a personal message through this work. Reflecting on his growing fame and his identity as an artist, Basquiat positions himself directly in the viewer's line of sight; together with the other references, he creates a multifaceted narrative that invites myriad meanings.
Rembrandt, Portrait of the Artist at his Easel, 1660. Louvre, Paris. Image: © Bridgeman Images Basquiat strategically incorporates Latin into his works, adding layers of meaning accessible only to the most discerning viewers. The phrase "HIC EST REX," translating to "This is the King," is prominently positioned beneath the artist's self-portrait. Additionally, "ST" is bracketed, emphasizing Basquiat's identity as the king of the street.
The full Latin phrase"Hic est rex Iudæorum," meaning "Here is the King of the Jews," directly references Jesus, underscoring Basquiat's exploration of religious iconography and martyrdom themes.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Versus Medici, 1982. Sold Sotheby’s New York, May 2021. The word "MORTE" above the image of a crucifix references mortality and further highlights the religious themes. Death, a recurring theme in Basquiat's oeuvre, is central to his most coveted works. This theme was also extensively explored by Andy Warhol, who would later become a close friend and role model for Basquiat.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Riding with Death, 1988. Private Collection. Basquiat draws inspiration from Leonardo Da Vinci's drawings and human anatomy throughout his career, a fascination that was sparked by his childhood readings of Gray's Anatomy.
Illustration for Gray's Anatomy, by Henry Gray, with drawings by H V Carter and others (Lea Brothers, 1893). Image: Bridgeman Images. Basquiat's crown is among his most desirable and iconic motifs: "Jean-Michel’s crown has three peaks, for his three royal lineages: the poet, the musician, the great boxing champion. Jean measured his skill against all he deemed strong, without prejudice as to their taste or age” (Francesco Clemente quoted in “Heroes and Saints,” Guggenheim Bilbao, online).
Jean-Michel Basquiat, The Italian Version of Popeye has no Pork in his Diet, 1982. Private Collection SALT alludes to the historical significance of salt as a crucial commodity; it contributed to the Atlantic slave trade, and wars were fought over salt taxes and trade policies. Additionally, it has been read as reference to the commodification of Basquiat’s own work as he rose from street artist to one of the art world’s most promising talents.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Native Carrying Some Guns, Bibles, Amorites on Safari, 1982. Private Collection. The "S" markings are used in Basquiat's paintings, particularly in 1982, to reference graffiti iconography. Additionally, they serve as a reference to the Superman logo. Basquiat drew inspiration from comics, again integrating popular culture into fine art.
Andy Warhol, Superman (Myth Series), 1981. The Broad, Los Angeles The explosive, gestural sprays of pigment reference the “action painting” of the preceding generation of Abstract Expressionists. Basquiat was extremely well versed in art history and the evolving art scene around him.
Willem de Kooning, Black Friday, 1948. Princeton University Art Museum. Art © 2024 The Willem de Kooning Foundation / ARS, New York The hinges and coat hooks on the piece suggest it was once a functional door. Through the use of found materials, we see Basquiat creating a bridge between low and high art.
Robert Rauschenberg, Interview, 1955. Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The dripping paint recalls the artist’s graffiti roots in the 1970s with SAMO©, his street-art moniker with Diaz. This street art duo adorned city walls with their tag SAMO and chosen symbols during that period. Basquiat incorporates graffiti and materials like spray paint into his work, blurring the line between low and high art.
A sample of Basquiat's work with the tag SAMO©. The Paris Review (online).
Within Portrait, Basquiat’s most iconic words and signature symbols – from the “S” SAMO tag to the copyright sign – are incorporated alongside fresh materials and influences in the form of language, which speaks to the artist’s ongoing self-reflection and discovery. Indeed, the fragmentation of the multi-panel triptych construction is essentially mirrored in this deconstruction of language: zeroing in on linguistic phrases with a kind of fragmenting x-ray vision, Basquiat reveals individual parts and structures, the skeleton of speech and thought. The parenthetical “SALT,” for instance, references the historic trade of this crucial commodity; its insertion into the composition was a frequent motif for Basquiat, who linked the mineral’s significance to his own role as an artist creating a product, particularly as his rising stardom led to rising prices for his work.
Comparable Paintings in Institutional Collections
Further, the mantra-like repetition of “ANKLE” is paired with a drawing of an amputated foot; anatomical drawings were another touchstone for the artist, inspired by a childhood obsession with Gray’s Anatomy, and here it takes on a metaphorical significance. As noted in Hoffman’s analysis, “In the jargon of the street, reference to the ankle implies the idea that ‘you broke his ankles,’ suggesting domination. In the context of street sports, Basquiat’s representations of the ankle imply an offensive move to evade a defender, causing the defender to lose his balance and stare stupidly as the offensive player passes him by. Given the multiple references in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict to graffiti culture and Keith Haring’s subversive acts below the streets of New York City, Basquiat’s juxtaposition of this particular part of the human anatomy and his crown was his means of heralding these artists’ actions” (Ibid., pp. 213-14). Taken together, these symbols further underline the astoundingly allusive and cohesive narrative of the present work as a shrine to the heroic street artist.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Artwork: © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY and DACS, London 2024
Portrait was first exhibited at the artist’s landmark Fun Gallery exhibition in November 1982, arguably the most important show of his work mounted during Basquiat’s lifetime. Most of the works included in the show featured an “open stretcher bar” construction, now considered one of the artist’s signature techniques. Like those examples, the present work was constructed from discarded scraps the artist found around the city; unlike them, however, Portrait was executed on a much grander scale, and far more substantially. “While many of the other works included in this seminal exhibition are loosely, even flimsily constructed, they all more or less conform to the traditional, rectilinear shape of a painting. In contrast, the shape of the picture support of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict is one of the most irregular in the artist’s oeuvre,” as Hoffman describes. “It is one of the artist’s most complex, delicate, and unconventional multi-panel paintings” (Ibid., p. 210). Even amongst an already seminal and rarefied group of works, then, the present work is exceptional. In its immense wealth of allegorical and symbolical associations, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict is one of the most remarkable and captivating paintings of Basquiat’s entire corpus, a truly magnificent work by a precociously gifted artist standing at the very apex of his creative progression.
