I have done only two portraits: one of the artist Francesco Clemente and another of Andy Warhol. Jean-Michel Basquiat More Quotes by Jean-Michel Basquiat More Quotes From Jean-Michel Basquiat I don't listen to what art critics say. I don't know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is. Jean-Michel Basquiat critics art needs I cross out words so you will see them more; the fact that they are obscured makes you want to read them. Jean-Michel Basquiat crosses want facts Most Young Kings Get Their Heads Cut Off. Jean-Michel Basquiat cutting kings young If you wanna talk about influence, man, then you've got to realize that influence is not influence. It's simply someone's idea going through my new mind. Jean-Michel Basquiat mind men ideas Every single line means something. Jean-Michel Basquiat single-line lines mean I start a picture and I finish it. I don't think about art while I work. I try to think about life. Jean-Michel Basquiat life art thinking The more I paint the more I like everything. Jean-Michel Basquiat paint I like kids' work more than work by real artists any day. Jean-Michel Basquiat artist real kids Fire will attract more attention than any other cry for help. Jean-Michel Basquiat fire helping attention The black person is the protagonist in most of my paintings. I realized that I didn't see many paintings with black people in them. Jean-Michel Basquiat painting black people I don't think about art when I'm working. I think about life. Jean-Michel Basquiat art thinking I am not a black artist, I am an artist. Jean-Michel Basquiat black artist I cross out words so you will see them more Jean-Michel Basquiat crosses I was a really lousy artist as a kid. Too abstract expressionist; or I'd draw a big ram's head, really messy. I'd never win painting contests. I remember losing to a guy who did a perfect Spiderman. Jean-Michel Basquiat artist winning kids SAMO as an end to to mindwash religion, nowhere politics and bogus philosophy. Jean-Michel Basquiat ends philosophy Occasionally, when I get mad at a woman, I'll do some great, awful painting about her. Jean-Michel Basquiat painting mad awful Since I was seventeen I thought I might be a star. I'd think about all my heroes, Charlie Parker, Jimi Hendrix... I had a romantic feeling about how these people became famous. Jean-Michel Basquiat stars hero romantic There are about 30 words around you all the time, like 'thread' or 'exit.' Jean-Michel Basquiat thread exit I had some money, I made the best paintings ever. I was completely reclusive, worked a lot, took a lot of drugs. I was awful to people. Jean-Michel Basquiat awful drug people The country makes me more paranoid, you know? I think the crazy people out there are little crazier. Jean-Michel Basquiat crazy country thinking
