Everybody wants to get
on the Van Gogh boat.
There's no trip so horrible
that someone won't take it.
The idea of the unrecognized genius...
slaving away in a garret
is a deliciously foolish one.
We must credit the life
of Vincent van Gogh...
for really sending
this myth into orbit.
I mean, how many pictures
did he sell? One?
He couldn't give them away.
He has to be the most modern
artist, but everybody hated him.
We're so ashamed of his life
that the rest of art history...
will be retribution
for Van Gogh's neglect.
No one wants to be part of a generation
that ignores another Van Gogh.
In this town, one is at the mercy
of the recognition factor.
One's public appearance
is absolute.
Part of the artist's job is
to get the work where I will see it.
I consider myself
a metaphor of the public.
I am a public eye,
a witness, a critic.
When you first see
a new picture...
you don't want
to miss the boat.
You have to be very careful.
You might be staring
at Van Gogh's ear.
It's Willie Mays.
What do ya hear? What do ya say?
Nurse!
Oysters Rockefeller and
a lovely Pouilly Fuisee, pour plasir.
We don't serve that here.
Fine, Gina.
A cheeseburger and a coffee.
That's Rene.
He writes for Art Forum.
He's a fucking rainbow.
You guys know what you want?
- Pancakes.
- Pancakes?
You want anything?
I'll have some coffee.
Coffee.
Want some coffee?
No? Okay.
You can't have that in here.
- What?
- You can't have that in here.
Who? Her?
Hide it.
Now, that's entertainment.
Pancake table drawing.
You know, I'm a little busy
right now, Benny.
Good night.
- What do you think?
- What?
- What do you think?
- It's pretty good.
It's me.
All right, making a mess here.
Look at you. Get out!
Okay? Good-bye.
- Where are those pancakes?
- Lech, would you let him order?
Let him order?
You nuts? Out.
- Do I need this?
- Do I? Jesus Christ.
Here. I'm sorry.
- What's your name?
- Gina.
Gina.
Hey, Mom.
I'm gonna get married.
You like it here?
It's okay.
Hey, Gina.
Can I walk you home?
Sure.
I'm in a band. We're playing
at the Mudd Club Thursday.
I put you down on the list.
I hate the Mudd Club.
You been camping out?
'Cause you look like
you could use a scrub.
- I'm clean.
- Yeah?
Yeah. Smell me.
I always smell good.
I don't know why.
I just do.
I'll take your word for that.
Just come Thursday.
Nah. Too many party girls.
Party girls?
I wouldn't know about this.
Can I call you?
Sure.
I made this for you.
Thanks.
Willie Mays.
You know that Frankie thing?
We edited it.
Looks pretty good.
Looks really good.
I'm thinking about...
putting that
drum mode on it...
and making it
into like a nice video.
You know,
like a music video.
Press play
on the box right there.
Press play on the box.
What, you don't like it
with the music?
I like it like this.
It's boring like this.
It's like looking
at a painting.
You need the music, man.
You need sound.
The man just hit me,
and I was on the ground.
I was on the ground.
- Boom, for real!
- What did she say?
- Boom, for real!
- Boom, for real!
Your dad called.
He wants to meet you
for lunch or something.
Hello?
- Is this the suicide hot line?
- Yes.
- My name is Joe. What's yours?
- Jean Michel.
Jean Michel.
What's that, French?
Haitian. I'm gonna
blow my brains out.
Wait a minute. Talk to me.
- No, I'm gonna take these pills.
- What kind of pills?
Reds, blues, greens,
whole fucking rainbow.
Trustees are harassing me.
- Are you in prison?
- No. This city's killing me.
Tell me about it.
You're talking to the right guy.
- How's it killing you?
- Boyfriend left.
I've been there.
Do you love him?
Not especially.
I'm alone. We all are here.
Respect, fools get.
Disrespect, I get.
I have respect for you
just for making this call.
This is not
an easy call to make.
You won't be so arrogant
when the police arrive.
You okay?
What's that noise?
It's my mother.
- French?
- Haitian. Rainbow.
- Killing me.
- Haitian. Trustees are harassing me.
- Talk to me.
- Reds, blues.
- You okay?
- Not especially.
- Reds, blues, greens. Haitian.
- French?
- Hello?
- Haitian.
- Police arrive.
- Hello? Talk to me.
- What's that noise?
- Trustees are harassing me.
You okay? French?
Rainbow.
Trustees are harassing me.
Police arrive.
Trustees are harassing me.
I thought you said
you hated this place.
I do.
I've never been here before.
It's cool.
- Let's get out of here.
- Okay.
Jean, get me
a Phillips head, will you?
A which?
Phillips head screwdriver
in the toolbox.
Sure.
- Phillips head, right?
- Yeah.
You don't have any.
You got one in your hand.
This is a regular screwdriver.
That's a Phillips head, the cross thing.
I'll show you later
what all the tools are so you'll know.
- Hi, Rene. Like your suit.
- Trade you for the shoes.
- Can I make a call? Do you mind?
- No, go ahead.
It's to Paris, Bernard.
You know Bernard.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Will you say hi to him for me?
- I will say hi to him for you.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
But I'm happy
with this here.
You'll get there.
You'll get there.
It's good to have
something to fall back on.
That's why
I became an electrician.
Pays the rent.
You know, I'm an artist too.
- Cool. I didn't know.
- Sure.
I sculpt. I'm just
really finding myself now.
What are you, 20?
You're just like I was.
I'm gonna be 40 in July,
and you know, man...
I'm glad
I never got any recognition.
It's given me time to develop.
- Can we lose some of this shit?
- No, no. You don't do it.
- I can't see this.
- Excuse me, you. What's your name?
Could you come over here
and move some of this stuff, please?
My name's Jean Michel Basquiat.
Have you heard of me?
- No. Should I have?
- I'm a painter too.
Really? Too bad.
No, I'm kidding.
Whoever you are, could you please
move that stuff someplace else?
We can't see the painting.
That told you.
- Come on, man.
- No, man.
Put out that cigarette, man.
Benny, man, I didn't think
we were actually gonna do this.
My goodness, you're shattering
all my myths, man.
- About what?
- Play some D.
About you being the first
half-Rican to play for the Knicks.
- Play some D. Open your arms.
- I'm open.
Open them up.
Look down. There you go.
Hey, Benny, man, how long
you think it takes to get famous?
For a musician or a painter?
Whatever. Famous.
Four years.
Six to get rich.
First you're gonna have
to dress right, you know?
Then you're gonna have
to hang out with famous people.
You know? Make friends
with the right blond people.
Go to the right parties, yeah.
Socialite.
Then you gotta do your work all the time
when you're not doing that.
But I'm talking about the same
kind of work, the same style...
so people can recognize it and
don't get confused, you know?
Then once you're famous...
airborne, you know...
you gotta keep doin' it
in the same way...
even after it's boring...
unless you want people...
to really get mad at you,
which they will anyway.
- Come on, man, let's go.
- Shoot! Come on.
I mean, famous people
are usually pretty fuckin' stupid.
You're too smart.
You don't wanna end up like John Henry,
you know, fighting the machine.
- John Henry?
- Absolutely.
John Henry was a steel-driving man
that worked the railroad...
pounding in the spikes
and laying down the track.
Then one day they invented
a machine to do his job, right?
And he says...
"Fuck that.
I'm a man, right?"
So he challenges the machine to a race
to lay down a mile of track, right?
It takes two days.
They go neck and neck
the whole time...
I mean, right to the end...
and he beats the machine by one spike.
But he dropped dead,
you know, see?
- Boom, but he beat it.
- Boom, but he dropped dead.
- But he beat it.
- You gotta do stuff like you do it.
It's about integrity, you know.
I mean, your friends like you.
I mean, you pound the pussy.
What else do you want?
I mean, everyone walks by,
sees your stuff.
- Warhol!
- What?
That's Andy Warhol.
He's a fucking homo.
He's the greatest painter
in the world.
No, he paints by numbers.
You don't. What're you doing?
I'm giving him one of these, man.
He should have one.
No, don't give him anything, man.
Trade, trade.
Yeah. That's what real artists
do with each other.
Besides, he'll just use you, man.
He's famous for it.
- Can I help you?
- You wanna buy some ignorant art?
- Ten bucks apiece.
- No, I think it's okay.
- Of course, Mr. Bischofberger.
- Gee, ignorant art, Bruno.
Yeah, you know, like stupid,
ridiculous, crummy art.
- That sounds good. That's new.
- Ten bucks.
Gee, you didn't work
very much on these.
I can give you, like, five.
Come on, Bruno, you're rich.
Maybe you should talk to Bruno.
You don't even work
on your stuff.
No, it's not how much you work
on something that matters.
- It's how much you get for them.
- I can get ten.
These are great, Bruno.
Maybe I'll take two.
I'll take...
Let me see these.
I'll take this one and...
I don't know.
Bruno, can I borrow
some money?
Yeah.
Here. You have change?
You made a good deal.
Here, you can have those too.
Let me look at those, Bruno.
Yeah, but they're
mine now, Andy.
Sure, they're yours, Bruno.
Everything good's yours.
Hi. Are those for me?
Bye, Benny.
Which island of Hawaii you
want our house to be on?
Maui? Kauai? Oahu?
I don't know.
I hadn't thought about it.
Maui!
Staten Island would be fine.
Maybe Oahu.
No, definitely Maui.
Oh, man.
Hey, Gina.
Do you wanna marry me?
What did you do to my dress?
Jean, what the fuck
have you done to my dress?
I painted it for you.
It's beautiful, baby.
I was wearing this to see
my parents this weekend, Jean!
You can still wear it.
That's great, Jean.
Painting all over my fucking paintings.
I couldn't look at them anymore.
They're kind of impersonal.
- Oh, great.
- You're more complex than that.
That's really nice.
How do you like it?
How do you like it if I paint
all over your goddamn paintings?
- That looks good.
- How do you feel about that?
Do you like me doing that
to your fucking paintings?
Do you? Oh, fuck you!
Get off me!
Fucking get off me!
Come here. Listen.
Do you know what he's saying?
Who? Get off me!
He says I'm jealous of the moon,
because you look at it.
He's jealous of the sun,
because it warms you.
He says I feel you,
even when I'm not feeling you.
I talk to you when
I'm not talking to you.
I love you even
when I'm not loving you.
You know I love you, Gina.
Willie Mays! Willie Mays!
Hey, come on up, man.
I heard you
the first seven times.
I'm just saying we got some
rehearsal space tonight.
It can happen
Friday night, right?
We got some people
coming to see us.
Some people always
come and see us.
Bye.
Hey, Mike.
Benny, man, be more careful!
Damn!
What?
No, come on. Stop it.
Wait, wait, wait. Okay.
What would you do
if I kiss you?
You're out of your mind, Benny.
You should take more drugs.
- Hey, Rockets!
- Hey, man.
- Hey, Rockets, can I have this?
- Yeah.
You got the key?
Yeah, I got it.
Hang on a second.
Did you do this, man?
Yeah, I gave that to Maripol.
She let me stay here for a while.
You do one for me, and it's free.
Rene, look.
Quick, check him out.
He's right there, look.
He's kind of cute, right?
Those silver things
on his cowboy boots.
No, honey, I don't think so.
I gotta take a pee.
Amazing.
Who did this?
How the fuck should I know?
That's Samo, the dude
that was just here. Yo, Benny, where...
Come here, man!
He's right there. Look!
- Here, give me that.
- Right there, right there.
- Keep your eyes on him. Don't lose him!
- Yo, Samo!
Excuse me!
That's your painting up there,
back at that loft?
Oh, at the party at Maripol's.
Yeah. You like it?
You know Albert Milo?
Of course.
I made that nigga.
Rene Ricard.
You didn't read
Not About Albert Milo?
Listen, I know who to hype.
I will make you a star.
You can put me
in the ring with Milo?
I can put you in the ring with him.
I can set the dates.
But the big boys
know how to fight.
Make you look real sissy.
God, I saw that painting.
It made me ashamed to own anything.
So, Samo.
You got a real name?
Jean Michel Basquiat.
Well, that sounds
famous already.
You want some coffee?
Come on.
Come on.
Hey, who are those fools
with the binoculars?
Child, you got
no respect at all.
Nobody taught you
how to mount paintings?
You know me. It comes
to a mounting, the rougher, the better.
A very important season
in New York, Jean.
One's public appearance
is absolute.
Geez, Louise!
Come here, doll.
This is Jean Michel Basquiat,
Henry.
- Hi. This is my friend Rob.
- Hi, Rob. Jean Michel.
- So, you're Samo.
- "Say-mo", darling.
- I really like your graffiti.
- I was a kid then.
How much for that one?
That one?
For you or the museum?
It's for me.
- Two.
- I'll take it.
Darn right you'll take it.
- Come on, Rob.
- Bye. Nice meeting you.
That's $2,000.
And he's from the
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
So suck my pussy, you star.
Gina, you look
fucking beautiful.
Yeah? Really?
It looks good.
Ages! Come here, I want you
to meet somebody.
Jean, this is Annina.
Annina, this is Jean Michel Basquiat.
I am so happy to meet you. Rene refused
to give me your telephone number.
Finders, keepers, doll.
My next show is called "Public Address",
but you don't fit.
What do you mean,
I don't fit? I fit.
I can't show you in a gallery
because you don't have any paintings.
Hello! Hello!
Well, give me some money,
I'll make you some.
Would 300 do?
Yeah, sure,
but I don't have a space.
I could find a place
for you to work.
Hey, do you want a taste?
No, thanks.
You're doing very well.
Very well.
Who is that?
Okay. You are
so full of shit, you.
How do you know
Bruno Bischofberger?
- I had lunch with him once.
- Oh, did we?
Kind of a family portrait.
It looks done.
You think so?
I think it could use
some babies.
Babies with you?
What's wrong with me?
You're your own baby.
- Who is it?
- Annina Nosei.
- Who?
- Annina.
- Hello? Oh, it's you.
- Is Jean Michel here?
- No.
- I'm here to see some work.
There's some right there.
- These are great.
- Aren't they?
I like these.
I'll take these.
I think you should probably
talk to him about that.
Do Rene and Jean
have a contract together?
- I don't know.
- I think he's ready for a show.
- Really? When?
- Next month.
You know, I think you should probably
talk to him about all this.
When?
How about right now?
Well, I'll go get ready.
I'll be ready in one minute.
This is it.
United States Savings Bonds
and the Mutual Network present:
"Bands For Bonds".
In the background we have the choicest
collection of modern musicians...
gathered together by Barry Udinov,
editor of Metronome magazine.
Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet.
Charlie Parker, alto sax.
John LaPorta, clarinet.
Billy Bauer, guitar.
Lenny Tristano!
Lenny Tristano, piano.
That was Max Roach
as the drums.
And Ray Brown on the bass.
These are beautiful.
I really love this.
Never tell a painter you like anything.
They'll invariably change it.
Hello?
He's not here right now.
Hang on a second.
It's Benny. He wants to know
why you're not at band practice.
Fuck!
I forgot about that.
Are you Tony Bennett?
Are you Tony Bennett? You sing on stage?
You paint in your spare time?
- I didn't know Tony Bennett painted.
- That's my point exactly.
Hello. Hello?
Rene, if you're so smart, what are you
doing down in this basement with me?
You are the news,
and I want the scoop.
Look...
when I speak,
no one believes me.
When I write it down,
people know it's true.
There's never been
a black painter in art history...
who's been considered
really important, you know that?
Are you a writer
or a white writer?
I may be white,
but I'm a nigga.
You ask anybody.
- What time is it?
- It's 5:11.
That one's for you.
Hey, it's the big a.m.
Rene's been telling me
about your work.
Is that finished yet?
I don't know.
When's your show?
Two weeks.
- How was yours?
- I haven't decided yet.
This is nice. I like that.
Hey, baby. Come on over.
I wanna make a painting of you.
- You got any coffee?
- Yeah, I've got...
coffee, cream cheese, bagels.
Thanks for lettin' me stop by.
That could use
a little bit more pink.
It doesn't need the pink.
See ya.
Albert Milo, what a pleasure
it is to meet you.
This is my friend,
Rene Ricard.
- We're Tom and Cynthia Kruger.
- It's a pleasure.
It's very nice to have met you.
This is Tom and Cynthia Kruger.
I heard.
- This is Jean Michel Basquiat.
- Hi.
You've seen the Samo graffiti
everywhere. That's his.
This is the true
voice of the gutter.
I've seen the graffiti, and I've heard
wonderful things about your paintings.
Everybody's talking about you.
Your ears must be burning.
Most of these
are reserved already.
After Thursday, this work
will not be available.
It's a beautiful painting,
and it's still free.
I don't know. I don't know if I could
live with this one. It's...
I like it, but the green
is sort of institutional.
Sweetheart, have you been
in an institution lately?
Boom! Jean-Claude Killy!
There's my motherfucker.
What's up, man?
You's a lucky-ass nigga
to be gettin' paid for this shit.
- You like it, man?
- Not bad.
Yeah, I do.
It's fascinating, his choice
of crossing out words that way.
Yes, well, they are more meaningful
in their absence, no?
Yeah, J M,
what does it mean?
I don't know. I just don't know
if I can live with the green.
You want me to make it
a nice shit brown?
I beg your pardon?
Nobody makes fun of my wife but me.
I don't know.
I just can't make up my mind.
I really like this one,
but it's just...
It's the green.
Get a fucking decorator.
These paintings
aren't even done yet.
We'll take the green one.
- How can I thank you?
- Maybe I can squeeze your titties?
- Want a Mac? Have a Mac.
- No. I want my scarf.
No, I don't want a Mac.
Give me my scarf.
Sweetheart, I dare you
to break my heart.
- Oh, man!
- I dare you to break my heart.
Have a Mac.
No. I don't eat junk food.
- Let's go to Lutece.
- What, you're paying?
- You coming?
- No.
- I'm gonna keep the scarf anyway.
- No, you're not. It's mine.
- What's your name?
- I ain't tellin' you. Too fast.
- No name?
- No.
How about if I call you Big Pink?
Come on!
Hurry up!
Baby, I'm coming.
What are you doing?
Fuck, you're so loaded!
What'd you do, rob a bank?
- Where are you taking me?
- We're going, like I said.
Yeah, right.
Is that real money?
You want a tuna fish sandwich?
Yeah.
- Fuck!
- Where'd you get the scarf?
Oh, it's a present
I picked up for you.
Let me see.
You look like an angel.
Wake up.
Jean, wake up.
Honk the horn again, please.
Look at him.
What?
There are sick people
living in this building.
What time is it, Benny, man?
Thompson and Spring, please.
What time is it, man?
You're fuckin' late!
That's what time it is!
What's the rush, John Henry?
It's Jean Michel.
Toke?
What the fuck's
your problem, man?
I don't have
any fuckin' problems.
Then what do you have?
Give me my joint, man!
Check you out!
You get a little attention, you start
acting all uppity and shit with me.
What's that about?
- About what?
- What's that about?
- What?
- What just...
You mean like uppity nigga?
What gives you the audacity...
to even think that, man?
Hey, for all you know, you might
just be a flash in the pan, man.
And let me tell you,
you can never tell.
You're just jealous 'cause
it ain't happening to you.
Think what you want, man.
Fuck you.
Making me feel bad, man.
Yo, pull over. Pull over.
- Yo, Andy, man.
- Jean.
Boom, that jacket.
Can I paint that?
Wow, you look great.
Your show looks great.
I can't believe you did
all these in your basement.
You kids can do anything.
Oh, Mary, this is Jean.
Jean, this is Mary Boone.
She's showing
all the great new painters.
- Yeah, I met her already.
- You should be very pleased.
- It's a very handsome show.
- Yeah.
It's just in the wrong gallery.
Yeah. I'll see you later
at dinner, though.
Are you coming?
Jean, your parents are here.
Those aren't my parents.
Those are not his parents?
- Well, one of them is.
- Which one?
- Hey, Dad.
- You must be very proud.
Very proud.
Quite a production.
So tell me, how does it feel
to have a genius in the family?
Good.
Lucky for you.
I only have convicts in my family.
- Jean, great show, man.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Hey, step into the office.
- That's mine.
- I can't.
- Hey, it's a gift, man!
It's a gift!
Jean, come on.
This guy wants to take a picture.
Come on, come on.
He won't bite.
Oh, wow.
Twisted his arm, but here he is.
Gentlemen, a little tighter.
- Hey, Albert, get in the picture, man.
- Come on, beautiful.
- Still a great suit.
- Of the painters, please.
- The painters.
- Yeah, no, that's better. Go on.
Mr. Bischofberger, please.
- Thank you.
- Hey, Mom, Dad.
Jackie. Andy.
You know Andy.
- How are you?
- Hi. Yeah. Great color.
This is Jean Michel.
This is my wife.
This is Jack. That's Esther.
My mom and dad.
Are your folks here?
My dad's here with his wife,
but my mom couldn't make it.
On such a special occasion?
Why?
- She's sick.
- I'm sorry.
- I don't indulge. Thank you.
- That's cool.
Jean Michel, may I
talk to you, please?
Andy, you want
to take my picture?
Yeah.
I hear you're leaving Annina.
Now, you know
I love your painting.
I would like
to represent you worldwide.
We start with a show
in Zurich.
And later...
I get us a partner in New York.
Maybe Mary Boone, huh?
Now, I especially
like this painting.
I would like to have that
for my own private collection.
No, I wasn't
gonna sell that one.
No? Well,
you shouldn't have shown it.
I mean, this is the one.
I absolutely have to have this one.
I mean, this is super-fantastic.
Oh, Jean Michel, I must have it.
Hey, I absolutely
must have this painting.
Okay, sure.
Thank you.
Can I borrow your limousine?
I'll bring it back to you in an hour.
It's okay.
Just have them
drop you at Mr. Chow's.
- We'll all be there.
- Cool, cool.
It's a great show.
Fucking little whore,
you sold my painting?
- I can make you another one.
- You sold my fucking painting?
Let me tell you something.
When climbing that ladder of success...
you do not kick out the fucking rungs,
and you believe that shit!
- Rene!
- Fuck off!
What is it about art anyway that
we give it so much importance?
Art is so respected by the poor
because what they do...
is an honest way
to get out of the slum...
using one's sheer self
as the medium.
The money earned,
proof, pure and simple...
of the value of that
individual, the artist.
The picture a mother's son does
in jail hangs on her wall...
as proof that beauty is possible
even in the most wretched.
And this is
a much different idea...
than the fancier notion that art
is a scam and a rip-off.
But you could never explain to someone
who uses God's gift to enslave...
that you have used
God's gift to be free.
Hey, man, turn that up.
"Bird", man.
I really, really...
really admire you, man.
Me? Why?
I mean, you did it.
I mean, you made it.
You know...
I'm a painter too.
Oh, yeah?
Come check out my studio
sometime?
Sure.
I love it, man.
"Plush, safe he think".
What's your name, man?
They call me Steve, man,
but I prefer Shenge.
Shenge.
You want a job?
Good evening.
Annina's waiting for you.
Mr. Chow, a chair, please.
To a great show, Jean.
- Cheers.
- Here's to you.
You finish it.
He used to. Nixon used to have
a place at the Waldorf-Astoria.
But then he moved
to Saddle River, New Jersey.
Saddle River, New York.
- Saddle River's in New Jersey.
- Saddle River's in New York.
- It's in New Jersey.
- It's in New York!
- Saddle River's in New Jersey.
- New York!
I hear your show
already sold out.
There is a very important collector
interested in buying some of your work.
- It's in New Jersey.
- New York!
Bring him by the studio sometime.
I have some other stuff to show him.
Saddle River's in New York!
I didn't know that,
did you, Henry?
A bottle of your
best champagne, darling.
Hi, Michael. Hello.
Hi, darling.
Well, you cannot buy
advertising like this.
This will be the most glamorous party
you'll have here all fall, guaranteed.
Oh, my. Could I get some
of that imitation crab?
I am just famished.
And a chair, please! Dominic, chair.
Well, that was a lovely show.
Absolutely lovely, but hey,
we're no longer collecting art...
we're buying people, aren't we?
Shut up, Rene.
Oh, Andy, please. Everything's
over your head, we all know that.
Even Mr. Chow's menu's
over your head.
God, that's beautiful.
Look at that.
Gorgeous. Gorgeous.
Look at that, is he not great?
That is an absolutely
stupendous piece of work.
Thank you. He owes me one.
- Doesn't he, Bruno?
- You're too much, Rene.
- Get this guy out of here.
- Oh, come... Please!
Relax.
Can I have my chair, please?
- You'll never miss me
- Oh, come on!
I haven't eaten a thing.
I am starved to death, darling.
Please, get your hands off me.
It's okay, we're friends.
We're friends...
please fuck off.
Get your fucking hands off me,
you faggots! I want a chair!
- Why must we say adieu
- I want a chair! All right, I'm going.
Get your fucking hands off me!
We're friends!
Fuckers!
Fuck off. Get your fucking
hands off, you faggot!
Okay, I'm going!
I've left Diana Vreeland
waiting long enough.
It was such a good drawing, Jean Michel.
You should do another one for Michael.
Perhaps some other time, Andy.
... there and un petit Manet there.
- I lost my station
- It's great that people are interested.
But if anyone's going to buy anything,
I'll handle it for you.
Everything goes through the gallery,
even if they come to your studio.
- Oh, Paris, please
- Sure, sure.
Stay the same.
You've had 23 one-man shows.
You've been in 43 group shows
from Zurich to Tokyo.
You've had over 50 articles
written about you.
You've switched galleries
how many times?
You've deejayed
in the hottest clubs.
One of the youngest artists
ever to be included...
in the Whitney biennial.
Produced a rap record.
It's said you're quite
the ladies' man.
You dated Madonna...
a couple of months, right?
All this at the
ripe old age of 24.
One might ask,
is there anything left...
for Jean Michel Basquiat to do?
Bottom line:
What is it...
gets you out of bed
in the morning?
I hate this, man.
Turn that off.
Oh, come on.
No, it's all right.
Look, come back.
I can do better.
Please, please.
Thank you.
Okay. Ready?
You ready?
Can you decipher this for us?
Decipher?
Just words.
Yeah, I understand,
but whose words are these?
I mean, where do you
take them from?
I don't know. Would you ask a musician...
would you ask Miles...
where'd you get that note from?
I mean...
Where do you take your words from?
- You know?
- Right.
Everywhere.
What's that?
The three circles.
- Here?
- Yeah.
- It's a flea.
- Looks like a chicken.
Trust me, it's a flea.
And that, in the black box?
Those are parasites.
Flea, parasite, and 46 and 47?
It says leeches.
It's number 46 and 47
in a list of thousands...
of leeches on this planet.
What's the difference between...
Between a flea, parasite and a leech?
- Hardly any.
- Why are people...
so crudely drawn?
Well, most people tend to be pretty...
generally pretty crude.
I really don't know
that many refined people.
Yeah, that looks good like that, man.
- What's that?
- Oh, it's...
a pile of tires I painted.
I knew that.
Do you consider yourself
some kind of primal expressionist?
You mean a primate?
Like an ape?
Do you consider yourself a painter,
or a black painter?
I use a lot of colors,
not just black.
It's more a creole, you know?
And what I mean by creole
is that...
it's a mix of Africa and Europe...
in much the same way that an African
in Haiti speaks French.
Your father's from Haiti.
How do you respond
to being called...
"The pickaninny of the art world"?
- Who said that?
- That's from Time magazine.
No, they said I was the Eddie Murphy
of the art world.
My mistake.
Let me just
open something up here.
You come from a middle class home.
Your father's an accountant.
Why did you live in a cardboard box
in Tompkins Square?
Do you feel that you're
being exploited or...
are you yourself exploiting...
the white image of the black artist
from the ghetto?
Ghetto?
I don't exploit it, no.
Other people...
See, you make me
put my foot in my mouth.
Other people, it's possible, other
people might exploit it, it's possible.
Is it true?
Your mother resides in
a mental institution? Is that right?
You angry?
Now, right now?
No, as an artist.
In general.
Okay.
Good, that's good.
Thank you.
- I'm home.
- Hi, Jean.
That's great, Frank.
Can you, I don't know, whiz over here?
More that way.
What's with the wigs?
I'm gonna give 'em
to people for Christmas.
You think that's a good present?
Who wants an old wig?
Yeah, sure.
Oh, piss painting.
Not piss painting, Jean.
Oxidation art.
Yeah, I hate
cleaning brushes too.
I'm going to do some more of these.
Frank's been drinking this beer...
and it makes it go
this great green.
Why aren't you peeing
on them yourself?
I don't like beer.
Can I get some caviar, please?
Oh, can I taste it first?
- Is that the best you have?
- Yes, it's the best.
- I'll take the whole tin.
- That's $3,000.
Hey, Andy.
Can I get $3,000?
For this caviar?
Jean, we could go
to Russia for that.
Put the caviar on the card
and I'll get the rest.
Do you check everybody's bills
or just mine?
Just yours.
Just gimme my shit, man.
Yeah, but what he said
was locked in the basement...
you know, I mean,
it had such a nasty ring to it.
If I was white, they would have
just said "artist in residence".
I just wish they'd quit
writing shit about me.
No, Jean, that's good.
At least they're interested.
And then,
everyone's payin', like...
top dollar for...
anything with Samo on it.
- Scraps of paper, refrigerator doors.
- Sure, yeah.
The other day, I wanted to buy
a pack of cigarettes...
so I did this drawing
for two dollars...
and this gallery called me
a week later said...
"Somebody's offering us $5,000
for the same drawing, should I buy it?"
I said, "Yeah, sure, buy it.
It sounds like a good deal to me".
Sure, buy it,
that's a good deal, yeah.
But you've got to stop
giving them away!
You know? Oh, Comme Des Garcons
want me to, like, model for them.
Maybe you could do that with me.
Yeah, yeah. I could do that.
You could teach me.
I couldn't teach you anything.
You're a natural.
You kidding me?
Maybe you could join
my modeling agency.
They asked me to do the Mike Todd Room
at the Palladium. Should I do that?
Isn't Albert Milo doing that?
- They asked him before they asked me?
- Gee, I don't know.
Shit, I'm not doing that.
I gotta get out of New York.
Hey, we could go to Pittsburgh!
I kinda grew up there.
They have this room there with
all the world's famous statues in.
So you don't even have
to go to Europe anymore.
Just go to Pittsburgh.
- Boom! Duckman!
- Oh, yeah.
When I was little,
my brother and I had two pet ducks.
We called them
the Garcia brothers.
Jean, did you see
my dermatologist yet?
Say, Gina, Gina!
I'm sorry.
I thought you were a friend.
Welcome back to Barbetta, maestro.
Haven't seen you in long time.
How was your show in Europe?
- It was good.
- Good.
We have an excellent
Brunero Di Mont-al-Cino.
- What year? Sure.
- '73.
So how are you doing?
I was gonna get you some flowers.
I forgot.
So, I hear you've been
hanging out with Andy.
He seems like
he's pretty weird.
He's not, you know. He calls me
every day when he's out of town.
What's weird about him?
Well, you know, a lot of people
think that he's using you.
Why does everyone say that?
He's the only person who doesn't need...
Never mind.
So, what have you been up to?
Well, I'm starting med school
at Columbia in the fall.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Pretty excited about it, actually.
And Rene hired me as his secretary.
He's getting his poems published.
I hate that asshole.
How is he?
He's the same.
That's fine.
- Giorgio?
- Yes, Mr. Basquiat?
- You see this table behind me?
- Yes.
Put their bill on my tab.
All right.
- Giorgio.
- Yes, Mr. Basquiat?
Don't tell them anything.
Just do it, please.
Of course not, Mr. Basquiat.
- Why?
- I mean, what year is this?
I think about you a lot, you know.
And me, and the future 'cause...
I'm gonna...
In my head, I had all these things
I was gonna say...
but they don't work.
I'm sorry...
- I'm sorry...
- You don't need to be sorry.
Well, you know, one good thing
came out of it.
I realized
I'm a really bad painter.
It was a relief.
I'm glad I could help.
I have to go to the bathroom.
Well, gee, Jean.
That was my favorite part.
It needed more white.
That's better.
You make me feel so worthless.
You're so famous now.
Famous.
I don't even have any friends anymore,
aside from you.
And everyone says...
"Warhol, that...
death-warmed-over person on drugs,
he's just using you".
Well, maybe you just shouldn't
take things so seriously.
Bruno called.
He said people in Europe are saying
you're burning your candle at both ends.
Well, I think it's awful
people are talking like that.
I think you should, like, I don't know,
stick around, prove them wrong.
No one thought I could make it
in the first place.
Then when it happened, they said,
yeah, but he'll never keep it up.
Now they say I'm killing myself.
Stuff like this.
But then when I clean up,
they say, look, his art's dead.
I don't care anyway, because,
you know, I'm clean now. I'm healthy.
That's just not true, Jean.
You phone me at 4:00 in the...
What are you doing?
You're painting out everything I do!
Wow.
Oh, that's great.
System with just the "M".
Yeah, it's better.
You really think so?
God.
I can't even see
what's good anymore.
Okay, I see what you mean
about that white.
After the show,
let's take a nice long vacation.
Go to Hawaii.
You want to go to Hawaii?
That's what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna go to Maui...
open a tequila factory...
write poetry,
play music again.
Give up this painting shit.
I wanna sing.
Boy, that would be a pity.
You're a real painter.
Poster came out great.
Jean Michel sent this.
Great.
Hey, that's mine.
- What's up?
- Mind your own fuckin' business.
Yeah, my man Samo
gonna make us rich.
Hey, what the fuck?
What the fuck is your problem?
Now it's worth more.
- I'm Samo.
- What did he say?
- He says he's Samo.
- I'm Samo.
Jean Michel...
crawling from the wreckage.
- I need a dealer.
- Don't you have a bunch of them already?
Hey, Mary Boone, did I ever tell you
my grandfather was an oyster man?
You know what that means?
Mary, can we switch these?
This should be here.
You should see it when you walk in.
That should be there.
- Hi, Jean. You know?
- I like it there.
- Could we switch 'em? Yeah?
- Well, yes.
- We'll rehang them.
- That's good. That's good there.
So what do you think?
I said I need a dealer.
- We could talk about it.
- Here I am.
No. I'll come by your studio.
Thursday at 3:30.
What are you doin'?
- Nothin'.
- Wanna come over?
- What for?
- I'm your friend.
- See you in an hour.
- Good. All right.
- So, what's wrong with tomorrow?
- I'm busy! I'm busy!
Okay?
I'll come by your studio.
- Thursday at 3:30.
- 3:30. Yeah, yeah.
I'll fit you in.
Yeah, I might even
make you some gumbo.
Excuse me.
Is this gallery open?
Yeah.
No, please come back later.
You like that painting?
I painted that for a friend
of mine who died.
Okay, that's good,
that's good.
Hey, Jean.
Hang on. Jean.
This is a backdrop
for the Kabuki theater in Japan.
Sort of a...
rebirth painting.
I painted it for Joseph Beuys.
Felt like maybe he could
have painted it...
or someone else was painting it
instead of me.
I like it, it's good. Thanks.
I'll be up in about ten minutes.
- Cortes.
- I know it.
- You know? You know Cortes?
- Of course.
Here. You know
the Chinese calligraphers?
They used to change
their name mid-career...
so they could start over
as someone else.
- Do you ever get sick of it?
- What, spaghetti?
No, the whole thing.
Painting.
That's one of the few things
that makes me happy.
- Spaghetti?
- No, painting.
I used to cook for a living.
That I got sick of.
You know, I still have a rash
from those white bucks?
Hey, Eddie,
are we still on the lapdog remark?
That's completely different, though.
I think Eddie Murphy's cool, you know?
Yeah, but he can't paint.
Not that I know of.
- What about the shit they write?
- Let me tell you something.
There's about ten people
on the planet...
who know anything about painting,
and Andy is one of them.
You know, your audience
isn't even born yet.
Personally, I'm surprised
when anybody comes to my openings.
I haven't felt like talking to him
since that thing came out.
I mean, I'm nobody's mascot, you know?
- Did he say that?
- As long as I've known Andy...
he never asked me for a thing,
except to speak to you...
about getting off drugs.
And he's painted my picture,
I've painted his picture...
you know,
we've eaten dinner together.
He doesn't care about me.
He cares about you.
You're the one he cares about.
You're his friend.
- Did he say that?
- Listen, fuck that article!
It doesn't matter.
Forget about it.
Come on, eat.
Good conversation is hard to find
in this town.
Papa, the TV's broken.
Can you fix it?
Sure, honey.
I'll be there in a minute.
She knows more about painting
than Eddie Murphy.
Your hair was different
the last time I saw you.
It's nice.
Do you like your dad's paintings?
Some of'em.
Stand still, Stella.
You can keep it.
Thanks.
You're much prettier than that.
- Where'd Jean go?
- He just left.
He did?
He's pissing in our hall.
Really.
Hey, Duckman.
Can I get two ducks, man?
- No, please, please, go away.
- Baby, it's me. It's me.
- Oh, it's you. What a day.
- What's this mean?
Do I look that bad?
What's the matter?
You haven't heard.
Andy is dead.
Wait for me.
Come here, please.
Come here.
Come here, just f...
Just for a second.
Just come here.
Please.
My mom's in here.
Matilde Basquiat.
I want to take her home.
Visiting hours are over.
Come back tomorrow.
Yeah, but I'm not here to visit.
I want to take her home.
Look, don't cause me any trouble.
Do me the favor?
I don't want to...
I just want to take her home.
Open up, please.
Open up.
- Please, just open up.
- I said, don't cause me any trouble.
- I asked you nicely.
- And I asked you nicely. Open up.
I said, open up.
Open up.
Open up! Open up!
Open up!
Willie Mays. Willie Mays.
Hey, Willie.
Come on, Willie.
Come on.
Hey, Willie.
Come on, Willie.
Hey, Benny.
My mom told me this story.
Or was it a dream?
There was this little prince
with a magic crown.
And this evil warlock
kidnapped him.
Locked him in this cell in this
huge tower. Took away his voice.
There was a window with bars...
and the prince kept smashing his head
against the bars...
hoping that someone
would hear the sound...
and find him.
The crown made the most beautiful sound
that anyone had ever heard.
You could hear it ringing for miles.
It was so beautiful.
The people wanted
to grab the air.
They never found the prince.
He never got out of the room.
But that sound he made...
filled everything up with beauty.
It's definitely time
to get out of here.
Benny, fuck Hawaii.
Let's go to Ireland.
We'll stop in every bar
and have a drink.