This triptych is formed by three skate decks made of 7 ply grade A Canadian maple.
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York
In Italian (1983) is one of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s iconic works, created during a peak period of his artistic career. The piece reflects his distinctive style, blending graffiti, expressive brushwork, text, and symbolism. Like many of his paintings, "In Italian" presents a powerful and chaotic composition where words, figures, and signs interact in a raw and energetic visual language.
The title, In Italian, may suggest a reference to classical European culture—especially Italian Renaissance art—while at the same time subverting it through Basquiat’s urban, Afro-Caribbean perspective. His interest in contrasting high and low culture, refined and raw, is evident in this piece. The inclusion of text, often fragmented or cryptic, was one of Basquiat’s trademarks and serves here to provoke thought rather than deliver a clear message.
In this work, Basquiat explores themes such as identity, language, cultural heritage, and the appropriation of symbols. The figure depicted—alongside the textual elements—appears almost mythological or totemic, reinforcing Basquiat’s tendency to elevate marginalized characters into powerful, almost divine figures.
The brushstrokes are urgent, the colors bold, and the composition layered. It’s as if the viewer is meant to decipher a code—a mix of history, race, rebellion, and irony. Words in different languages, especially English and Italian, appear not to clarify meaning but to complicate it, suggesting the multilingual, multicultural environment Basquiat inhabited and commented on.
In Italian is a prime example of how Basquiat merged influences from the streets of New York with art history, African-American identity, and global culture. It's a bold visual statement that challenges traditional canons and forces the viewer to reconsider what art is, who gets to create it, and which voices are heard.
