World Crown 1981

Jean-Michel Basquiat made 'World Crown' with paint, and it looks like he really went for it. I see a kind of fierce energy in the brushstrokes, a real sense of immediacy, like the painting just poured out of him. The way Basquiat uses color is interesting. The bright yellow background is almost confrontational, and then you have these stark contrasts with the black and white figures. Look at the way he layers the paint, you can see the texture and the movement of his hand. The crown motifs are bold, but they’re also kind of rough and raw. There’s a tension between the idea of royalty and the gritty reality of the street. I'm reminded a little of Philip Guston, in that way of making the personal, political. Basquiat's art invites us to look at the world in new and unexpected ways.