Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Icarus Himself” may equate the artist with a modern-day hero who hurls himself at the infernos raging in society's outcasts. Born in Brooklyn of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent, Basquiat (1960- 1988) was originally a graffiti artist known as “SAMO.” Graduating from walls to canvases, Basquiat presented a one-man show that solidified his stature in the art world. Andy Warhol befriended him, and the pair collaborated on many works. Basquiat became one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation, and one of only a few Hispanic/African-American artists to achieve international recognition.

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