To Repel Ghosts 1985

Jean-Michel Basquiat, painted “To Repel Ghosts” on salvaged wooden planks to create this work. Basquiat came of age in New York City during the 1970s and 80s, a time marked by profound social, economic, and racial tensions. Here, Basquiat conjures an image of a Black man rendered with raw emotionality, and piercing eyes. He wields a staff, a traditional symbol of power and authority, perhaps to protect himself from a hostile world. We can see how his art is steeped in the legacy of the African diaspora, where symbols and rituals are employed to ward off malevolent spirits and forces. The artwork exists as a testament to the enduring power of art to confront, challenge, and transcend the ghosts of the past, and serves as a reminder that there are always forces to push back against.