R.I.P. SAMO and Other Stories, The Semiotics of Basquiat
In 2002, I found an abandoned wooden bed post and brought it back to my studio to gesso and paint.  I was thinking about Jean Michel Basquiat bringing trashed windows, doors etc to his apartment to use as painting surfaces.  I used a famous image of JMB from Michael Halsband as my reference.  I drew it free hand and was amazed at how easily and quickly the rendering happened.  I would wind up throwing the bedpost away but saving the image which I had made into a silkscreen.  What follows is a series of works inspired by that image. These pieces also reference two other heroes of mine, Andy Warhol ( silkscreens, death and celebrity ) and Renee Magritte ( ceci n’est pas une pipe, the freeplay of signifiers ).  This series means a lot to me on many levels. Artist as hero, martyr and commodity.  Art, sacrifice, commerce and immortality.
Thank You, Joseph Borzotta/ Palette Artist Space, for this online exhibition opportunity.
Chris Lee