Jean-Michel Basquiat. The Radiant Child, US 2009 colour, b&w 88 min.
dir: Tamra Davis
pro: Tamra Davis, David Koh, Stanley Buchthal, Lilly Bright, Alexis Manya Spraic, Arthouse Films, Curiously Bright Entertainment, LM Media GmbH

ph: Tamra Davis, David Koh, Harry Geller
mus: J. Ralph, Adam Horovitz, Mike Diamond
ed: Alexis Manya Spraic
dis: Fortissimo Films

In his short career, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a phenomenon. He became notorious for his graffiti art under the moniker Samo in the late 1970s on the Lower East Side scene, sold his first painting to Deborah Harry for $200, and became best friends with Andy Warhol. Appreciated by both the art cognoscenti and the public, Basquiat was launched into international stardom. However, soon his cult status began to override the art that had made him famous in the first place.

Director Tamra Davis pays homage to her friend in this definitive documentary but also delves into Basquiat as an iconoclast. His dense, bebop-influenced neoexpressionist work emerged while minimalist, conceptual art was the fad; as a successful black artist, he was constantly confronted by racism and misconceptions. Much can be gleaned from insider interviews and archival footage, but it is Basquiat’s own words and work that powerfully convey the mystique and allure of both the artist and the man.

Sundance Film Festival 2010 – nominated for Grand Jury Prize (Documentary)