news release

the new Acoustiguide tour for the Brooklyn Museum’s Basquiat exhibition, March 11- June 5, helps visitors look beyond the hype by focusing on the artist’s contribution to art history. A Brooklyn native of Puerto Rican and Haitian decent, Jean-Michel Basquiat rose quickly to fame in the mass media and international art world in the 1980’s. Since his death in 1988 at the age of 27, the artist’s life story has become well-known as the subject of a feature film and in publications. The audio tour will help visitors separate fact from fiction, and includes a rare interview with the artist’s father, Gerard Basquiat.

Mr. Basquiat senior's participation in the audio tour is unprecedented; he has historically avoided speaking publicly about his son’s work. His reflections on Jean-Michel include insight into the artist's influences and relationships within the art world. In this excerpt, Gerard recalls seeing his son in Greenwich Village in New York City. At the time Jean-Michel was selling his paintings on the street with other artists. This quote speaks to the development of Basquiat’s identity as an artist.

I was walking down Sixth Avenue by the Waverly Theater. Jean Michel was only 16. He was sitting there on the ground and he had his artwork against the wall. He said, papa, come ...come. I want you to meet my friends––the other artists. He wanted so much to become an artist. Just to be recognized. All the way home that's what he was talking about. The fact that some day, he'll be very, very famous.

Other participants in the tour include exhibition curator Marc Mayer and Annina Nosei, one of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s first curators. They are joined by Haitian-American hip-hop artist, Wyclef Jean, who reads passages from Jean-Michel Basquiat's interviews and poetry.

Music for the tour was composed by Brooklyn bassist and producer Melvin Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs was an acquaintance of Basquiat’s and wrote the music in response to Jean-Michel’s paintings. The music will also be on the museum’s teen web site.