Quotes from Jean-Michel Basquiat

There are about 30 words around you all the time, like 'thread' or 'exit.'

I don't think about art when I'm working. I try to think about life.

My favorite Twombly is 'Apollo and the Artist,' with the big 'Apollo' written across it.

Medicine men live in caves.

If you wanna talk about influence, man, then you've got to realize that influence is not influence. It's simply someone's idea going through my new mind.

I have a painting where somebody's holding a chicken, and underneath the chicken is somebody's head.

I start a picture and I finish it.

I start a picture and I finish it. I don't think about art while I work. I try to think about life.

I like kids' work more than work by real artists any day.

Fire will attract more attention than any other cry for help.

Most Young Kings Get Their Heads Cut Off

I don't listen to what art critics say. I don't know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is.

Pay For Soup/Build A Fort/Set That On Fire

If you wanna talk about influence, man, then you've got to realize that influence is not influence. It's simply someone's idea going through my new mind.

JIMMY BEST ON HIS BACK TO THE SUCKERPUNCH OF HIS CHILDHOOD FILES

1. sports 2. opera 3. weapons.

Believe it or not, I can actually draw.

I had some money, I made the best paintings ever. I was completely reclusive, worked a lot, took a lot of drugs. I was awful to people.