basquiat show

jj doesn’t go back to school until tomorrow, so i felt we should have a date and do something in paris. it’s too easy for her to hang out at home, so i need to take the initiative. she was a bit outraged that her art teacher had “required” them all to go to an art exhibit over the vacation, but i thought it was a good idea. the teacher had recommended a number of contemporary art shows. the palais de tokyo is one art museum and occupies one half of a big building sitting on the seine. the other half of the building is occupied with the museum of modern art. we had tried to go earlier in the vacation, but there were waiting lines for both, so we had given up. today, we went back and there was a longer line for the basquiat show, but it didn’t look too bad, and i felt we had to do it this time. in fact, there was a lady trying to sell her ticket, so i bought it. since jj is under 25, she would get in for free. so we got to skip the rest of the line.

when basquiat was a hot item in new york, in the 80’s, i had not paid too much attention. he was new on the scene and there was a lot of hype about him. i sort of wrote him off as a gimmick.  now, looking at his paintings, i have to say that i like them. isn't that what happens with famous painters and their work?  with all the exposure, you get used to them, and eventually accept them.  strangely, some of my own paintings (in the “collaboration” series), have a similar feeling – though not as rebellious. it's the “child-like” look. i don’t LOVE his stuff, but i am entertained by it. there were paintings jj liked too. she had to pick 2 of them to write about for school. Print this post