Basquiat (right) and Warhol in New York City in 1985. Photo: The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
Born to a Haitian father and Puerto Rican mother in 1960 the late American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
He began drawing and painting at the age of four and by the time he was in his teens, his graffiti was a fixture around lower Manhattan. He was an outsider who challenged the status quo and used colour in non-traditional ways. After leaving home at 17, Basquiat began selling hand-painted postcards and T-shirts.
