Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project is pleased to announce Zeitgeist: The Art Scene of Teenage Basquiat, a group exhibition focusing on the artists and scene around Jean-Michel Basquiat’s teen-aged, pre-fame years. Curated by Howl! Happening, Sara Driver, Carlo McCormick, and Mary-Ann Monforton, Zeitgeist complements and amplifies the theatrical release of Sara Driver’s film BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat from Magnolia Pictures. The film premieres on May 11th at IFC, New York. Zeitgeist and the special events (listed below) bring to life the artist and a long-gone era in downtown creativity and social history that is a relevant commentary on contemporary issues and ideas.
The period covered in the exhibition and film tells the story of Jean-Michel’s early work, peers, and creative community in gritty, pre-AIDS, downtown New York—before the rise of the 80s art and real estate juggernaut. It was a time when decay, drugs, and dissolution fueled a boom in creativity where the definition of fame, success, and power was not based on money, Facebook likes, and self-promotion. For these creators, to be a penniless published poet or a musician gigging at CBs was the height of success. In the rawness of the work, the focus on street art and graffiti, and the experimentation and cross-pollination of styles and disciplines, the era has become a flashpoint for younger generations seeking to learn about and understand the authenticity, closeness, and community expressed in the work of the artists in Zeitgeist.
The exhibition includes Basquiat’s work and that of his friends and artists, writers, filmmakers, and musicians who emerged from that scene:
Alexis Adler Richard Hambleto
Charlie Ahearn Becky Howland
Ted Barron Tessa Hughes-Freeland
Jean-Michel Basquiat Jim Jarmusch
Philippe Bordas Justen Ladda
Robert Carrithers Ann Messner
Henry Chalfant Mary-Ann Monforton
Brett De Palma James Nares
Vivienne Dick Glenn O’Brien
Jane Dickson Tom Otterness
Al Diaz Franc Palaia
Barbara Ess Lee Quiñones
Coleen Fitzgibbon Walter Robinson
Fab 5 Freddy Christy Rupp
Robert Goldman aka Bobby G Luc Sante
Godlis Kenny Scharf
Nan Goldin Paul Tschinkel
Robin Winter
Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project
6 East First Street (Between Bowery and 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
917 475 1294
Gallery Hours: Wed – Sun, 11 AM–6 PM