Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

For those who don’t know, 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.

In this 90 minute film, director Tamra Davis picks up where Julian Schnabel’s (amazing) version of the artists life left off. This film 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.

I got a chance to see his work at the MOCA in 2005. To see the work up close and to understand the scale of his pieces is truly an honored experience. The trailer alone is a masterpiece. Hearing Charlie Parker while watching Basquiat paint is inspiring. For any fan of his work, this film should be high on your “go see” list when it comes to your town.

Sources:
jean-michelbasquiattheradiantchild
IN*TANDEM
Art House Films

The Day the ‘Kindle’ Died (updated)

Apple gets ready to announce its latest creation

Today Apple is set to announce its latest creation in San Francisco, California. The device is said to be the heavily rumored iTablet or iSlate tablet PC. The tech world is on edge awaiting this highly anticipated announcement. If the tablet is in fact for real, this would mark yet another shift in the mobile device industry. Within the last ten years Apple has gained a large share of the portable MP3 player market with its iPod and recently the iPhone. An Apple designed tablet PC would be a significant game-changer in the e-reader and personal multimedia device industry. Not only would the iSlate (that’s the name we are betting on right now) challenge the Kindle e-reader it would also make digital album purchases more enticing, much akin to the days when we bought whole albums. Why? Because digital music releases are now starting to offer more multimedia bundled within album releases that go beyond a PDF of the liner notes. Interactivity with your favorite bands/musicians is going to get a serious upgrade…if it’s all true.

UPDATE:

It’s called the iPad. The price points are a bit wacky. There is no camera as earlier speculations have reported. I guess we have something to look forward to next year. Here it is, if you have not seen it already.

Heavily Rumored ‘iSlate’ Expeted to be Announced Jan. 27

Various tech blogs and news sources are reporting that invitations for an event to be held by Apple at Yerba Buena center on January 27, 2010 will possibly announce the iSlate. The rumor mill has been spinning out of control on the uber-secret Apple tablet PC product. If the iSlate is in fact real this could be a significant game changer in the tablet PC and digital reader markets ( a la Amazon’s Kindle ). iTunes would see the sale of full albums increase due to the ability for the iSlate to display multimedia extras bundled in full album purchases only. Also the possibility of this devices reading capabilities is fairly exciting as well. While the Kindle can download and display books and magazines look for Apple to take those capabilities to a whole other level—in color! ( image unconfirmed )