Jean-Michel was known to incorporate unconventional materials in his process. In an article for the New York Times, Will Heinrich writes about this endearing and engaging practice that transformed inanimate objects into works of art.
“A squat little refrigerator is adorned with a burst of letters and a face in “Untitled (Refrigerator),” but they stop just short of the handle, letting the mostly blank lower section balance their effect. And even when every mark really does carry the same weight, as in an intricately painted yellow door, Basquiat keeps careful control of shape and color to create an overall effect of harmony and stability that balances the frantic energy of his lines.”
“You can’t quite see “Untitled (Refrigerator)” as only an appliance, or only a surface to draw on — the longer you look, the more it seems to waver between both categories. And once you’re primed for that sort of ambiguity, you start to see it everywhere.”
–– Will Heinrich
Artwork: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Refrigerator), 1981.
Photos: NY Books.com
