Jean-Michel Basquiat and the 7 Basic Elements of Art
This lesson plan is part of our “Art through a Social Studies Lens” lesson plan series. Click here to view all 8 lessons.
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to
Identify what strategies Basquiat used to convey a message to his audience.
Understand the contribution that identity has in the purpose of artwork.
Present a piece which shows their understanding of purpose in artwork.
Essential Questions
What role does identity play in artwork?
Why did Basquiat adopt the style he did in his work?
What general messages were promoted in Basquiat artwork?
What impact did Basquiat's work have on the world today?
Introduction
From Jay-Z to David Bowie, several celebrities own a Basquiat painting, and looking into the iconic artist's life there's no surprise as to why this is. His progressive artwork that illustrated the lives of various marginalized identities has left a long-lasting impact on society from the start of his career to the present day. This lesson plan will work to explore the life of Basquiat while encouraging students to understand how Basquait used the elements of art in his work and his identity to convey messages in his work. This will be done through in-depth research, class discussions, an analysis of Basquiat’s painting, Hollywood Africans, and student’s creation of their own Basquiat paintings.
Lesson Plan created by Ike Opayemi