Three Delegates 1982

Jean-Michel Basquiat made ‘Three Delegates’ using acrylic and oil paint sticks, materials that allowed him to work quickly and spontaneously. The canvas has become a surface for gestural marks, with a raw, almost visceral quality. Basquiat was part of a generation of artists who rejected traditional notions of artistic skill. He embraced a more immediate, improvisational approach, often incorporating text and symbols drawn from the urban environment. The three figures depicted in the painting appear as mask-like heads, delineated by bold outlines and filled with vibrant colors. The quickness of Basquiat’s application is central to the work, giving it a feeling of urgency and directness. The drips and splatters of paint, the scratchy lines, and the use of found materials all contribute to the painting's overall sense of immediacy. Basquiat challenged the established art world, blurring the boundaries between high art and popular culture. This work encourages us to consider how meaning is constructed through the act of making.