Jean - Michel Basquiat was born in the Brooklyn hospital, New York, on the 22nd of December, 1960, to a Haitian- American father, and a Puerto - Rican mother. This diverse cultural heritage served as one of Basquiat’s inspirations. Basquiat’s father was Gerard Basquiat, born in Port – au - Prince, Haiti; and his mother was Matilde Andradas, born in Brooklyn, of Puerto - Rican parents.
Jean was born after the death of his older brother, Max Basquiat, and had two younger sisters, Lisane Basquiat (1964 - present), and Jeanine Basquiat (1967 - Present).
At an early age Basquiat’s mother, Matilde Basquiat, encouraged him to study the arts and culture. He was often taken to New York’s art museums, and his mother even enrolled him at the Brooklyn …show more content…
Ann’s.’ His time spent there proved to be useful, with Basquiat becoming an avid reader of English, French, and even Spanish texts, and proved to be an astounding track athlete. During 1967, Basquiat creates a children’s book with his friend from St. Ann’s, Marc Prozzo, written by Basquiat and illustrated by Prozzo. Over the next few years, Basquiat continues to make cartoonlike drawings inspired by automobiles, comic books, and the Alfred E. Newman character from ‘Mad’. A quote from Gerard Basquiat, his father, strengthens the evidence of Basquiat’s artistic ability: “He was always so bright, absolutely an unbelievable mind …. He drew and painted all of his life from the time he was three or four years old.” (Gerard Basquiat). But during a game of ball in the street in May 1968, Basquiat is hit by a car, breaking his arm, and causing various internal injuries, which in turn caused his spleen to be removed. He spent a whole month at King’s County Hospital recovering, during which his mother brought him a copy of the book ‘Gray’s Anatomy.’ This book had a lasting impression on the young boy, with its influence being found in his later anatomical drawings and prints, and even the band he co-founded in 1979, Gray. Sadly, Gerard and Matilde Basquiat separate, leaving the