Basquiat Buzzwords

Jean repeated themes in his paintings, portraying his ideas innovatively and intellectually. His paintings at first glance seem to have a primitive style, but the symbolism he uses and his chaotic, technique enhances the impact of the message he tries to send. His use of words, phrases, arrows, symbols and scribbles are the reason for much of this, but maybe he felt as i

Basquait’s use of monetary and capitalistic symbols in association with everyday objects seems to say that all things and all aspects of society have been tainted, manipulated and exploited in order to satisfy the greed of those in authority positions. They appear to say that global and American industrialization does not serve anyone’s best interests except those who are doing the exploiting and industrializing. He seems to be saying that it serves no other purpose than to extend corruption, manipulation, deceit, exploitation, and abuses that which would exist and thrive without the intrusions of capitalism and greed.

In his 1984 Untitled painting, he centers his work around the boxed phrase “GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL ©” symbol and uses these same consumeristic symbols with everyday things like colors and the miracle of birth. Below those words are seemingly random sketches that resemble blueprints or construction plans with a cat in front of them. To the left of these “blueprints” on a yellowish-orange background are a number of items placed together in disarray. Again in this portion of the painting, it appears to be construction plans, calculations, measurements, chemical compounds, and blueprints in the backdrop. Towards the top of this technical background is a Christmas ornament on its side and the boxed words “YELLOW AND GREEN©”. In the top left portion of the painting is a heavy-set aboriginal woman giving birth with the title “ABORIGINAL GENERATIVE ©.” This is a statement voicing the opinion that even the purest of ideas and the most innocent concepts are manipulated for greed and profit. The use of trademark and copyright symbols in conjunction with everyday concepts, ideas and objects such as colors and even childbearing insists that innocence and the natural world is being advantageously exploited through industry plans for capital gain. The only obvious consumeristic symbols in Basquait’s Native Carrying Some Guns, Bibles, Amorites on Safari are the dollar signs that replace the letters S in the words “TUSK$” and “$KIN$”. These are the symbols that point to the Black laborer in the painting to be viewed as a commodity. As discussed earlier, the missionaries and poachers in this painting are one and the same, so by using the dollar signs in these words, it reinforces the idea that the laborer seen in the picture is the “animal” that is being hunted and used for profit.

In his 1984 untitled painting, he uses the phrase SUN GOD/TRICKSTER which parallels the same idea. His use of the word trickster in relation to God brings about this same skepticism and contempt for the use of religion to manipulate and exploit people. It could also mean that exploitation runs deeper than a means through which to gain profit, but that it goes as far as to manipulate the beliefs and religions of people as well.

The Doctrine of Discover was p

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