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| Jean-Michel Basquiat photographed at his Great Jones Street studio, New York City, 1987 |
Jean-Michel Basquiat's life as both human and artist was far too brief. Part of me feels like it is almost better off like that because the world was not ready for the impact that the art that could have been could have made. As it is, his public and constant approach to art of all mediums shook the New York City art scene and still pervades contemporary culture and fashion. Currently, one of the biggest high-end make up brands, Urban Decay, in collaboration with Jean-Michel Basquiat's estate, has created a limited edition make-up collection inspired by Basquiat's life and art. It features bold colors for daring wearers enveloped in packaging covered in his art. The brand sought to use Basquiat's ideals of making art out of things not classically considered art in places not classically considered appropriate to push the idea of contemporary make-up as art.
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Promotional Photo of the Collaboration from Urban Decay's Official Instagram
@urbandecaycosmetics |
There has been some controversy regarding the brand's choice to feature white model and actress Ruby Rose (who is also the brand's celebrity ambassador) as the face of the collection. If you're interested in reading an interview with Basquiat's estate, please see this article written for The Cut (for nymag.com) at the link provided below. As a fan of both Basquiat and the brand Urban Decay, I must admit I was pretty excited to see this collaboration but I do also question the choice to feature Ruby Rose as the poster person for this campaign. After reading the interview with Basquiat's estate, I would love to read more writing on Basquiat's experience as a black man. At the
end of the interview, Stark writes "In terms of an agenda as a black person or a black artist, it’s hard to attribute that to him. Even though he grew up in a middle-class black family, his family was Caribbean. They didn’t have the African-American experience. His heritage was Haitian and Puerto Rican. He had a very multicultural background." I have a hard time digesting this comment because to me, it feels as though they have created all of these technical nuances to avoid discussing the realities and experiences that Basquiat felt as a black man. It seems to deter the conversation about his racial identity which to the best of my knowledge was an important aspect of his life and art. He was obviously concerned with representation in art so for this issue to be kind of swept under the rug is understandably frustrating to those who know and love Basquiat and his works. Overall, I do agree with importance placed on introducing Basquiat to a new audience and keeping his legacy alive. I look forward to seeing a resurgence in his popularity amongst a new generation of art and makeup lovers alike.
LINK TO ARTICLE:
(http://nymag.com/thecut/2017/03/is-urban-decays-basquiat-collection-offensive-or-brilliant.html)
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