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Jean-Michel Basquiat

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Artist

The Resume

    (December 22, 1960-August 12, 1988)
    Died of heroin overdoes at 27 (August 12, 1988)
    Of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent
    AKA Samo
    Appeared in the Blondie video 'Rapture'

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a graffiti artist that vandalized and defaced property he did not own.
    His graffiti tag was Samo (SAMe Old shit).
    He dropped out of high school a year before finishing.
    He was addicted to heroin.
    After telling everyone he was drug free he died of a heroin overdose at 27 (1988).
    Some critics believe his appeal to art snobbery is due to being the hot young dead artist.
    Robert Hughes' writing in 'American Visions' criticized his work as appealing primarily to trendy politically correct art enthusiasts and having no real value.
    His art tool was spray paint.
    Art devotees say his work is cryptic (more like nonsense) such as 'SAMO© as an end to mindwash religion, nowhere politics, and bogus philosophy,' 'SAMO© saves idiots' and 'Plush safe he think; SAMO©.'
    When he left home, he sponged off friends, living at their homes.
    Although his art lambasted white colonization, he had no problem accepting money for white art patrons.
    He was paranoid, fearing others would steal his art work.

Why he might not be annoying:

    His art was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art (March 11-June 5, 2005).
    In a bit of irony, graffiti defacing was a major problem of the NY Subway, yet the MTA offered a two for one discount to his exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
    He never graffiti-ed in the subway.
    His art was exhibited at New York's Whitney Museum (1992).
    The Whitney labeled his art as 'he is as close to Goya as American painting has ever produced.'
    He was the basis for the 1996 film 'Basquiat.
    Andy Warhol sponsored him.
    He appeared on the cover of The New York Times Magazine (February 10, 1985) for the article 'New Art, New Money: The Marketing of an American Artist.'

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 30 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 18 Votes: 72.22% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 29 Votes: 48.28% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 34 Votes: 73.53% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 111 Votes: 72.97% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 154 Votes: 69.48% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 153 Votes: 65.36% Annoying