The Basquiat Copy

A Fine Line Between Inspiration and Imitation

“In the case” by Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1983

Social media has influenced all our lives, but it has had an especially intriguing effect on the art world. Rising trends have one main benefit: the opportunity for exposure. This is particularly advantageous for young, upcoming artists who can showcase their work to a broader audience. If a trend becomes popular enough, it can be life-changing for those participating in it.

One such trend that has been circulating recently is titled “Showing my art until it reaches the right audience”. The title is fairly self-explanatory—the videos show artists of all ages and backgrounds revealing their artworks to the camera, and therefore, to a global audience.However, a subtrend has now emerged: “Showing my art, but I am not a man copying Basquiat”. On TikTok and Instagram, this trend has created quite a controversy.

But what is it about, and why is it a topic we should be discussing?Under the original trend, you can find a few videos of young white men whose artworks are clearly heavily influenced by the works of the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The comments on these videos appear divided. Are these artists simply copying Basquiat and lacking any creative thought, or are they merely inspired by one of the greatest artists of all time? And where exactly is the line between inspiration and imitation?

Even if you are not part of the art world, you might have heard of an artist or two and have an idea of what art you like or do not. This is even more pronounced within the art world—artists know one another, study together, collaborate, and so on. Even the greatest artists of all time had teachers or drew inspiration from their surroundings, cultures, and other influences. It is entirely normal to find traces of someone or something else in an artist’s work. Actually, if it is not impossible, it is almost impossible to be a completely original artist. Inspiration is essential for creative growth and genius. So, what is the “but”?

The "but" is that being inspired is not enough. A great artist goes beyond inspiration and creates something new from it. In a sense, art is like research: you build upon the information you already have, developing it further until you discover something new.

There is no doubt that the men accused of being “Basquiat copies” are heavily inspired by his work. We must, however, proceed with caution. Claiming they are simply copying him is not entirely fair to these young artists, as all artists develop over time. We cannot predict how their style might evolve or where they will be in a few years. Another valid point, which Adame Cross on TikTok highlighted, is not to confuse “Basquiat copies” with artists who are part of neo-expressionism. While Basquiat is the most famous neo-expressionist artist, he is not the only one. To label all neo-expressionists as “Basquiat copies” would be like saying Van Gogh and Degas were the same simply because they were both Impressionists. So, if inspiration is so common, what is the issue? Why is there such an uproar when Basquiat is the inspiration for a white man?

Basquiat’s work grappled with racism, classism, colonialism, and the Black experience. Not only have white men historically benefitted from these first three power structures and continue to do so, but there is simply no way a white person can ever fully comprehend the Black experience.

Thus, if a white person imitates Basquiat’s style, their work will ultimately lack depth, as they cannot fully understand his work’s essence. David Finch, a white artist on TikTok who was influenced by Basquiat’s style at the start of his journey, states in his video: “Basquiat’s style was designed to reclaim art history from its white narrative. So to copy his style as a white person is reductive at best and irresponsible at worst.” At this point, I would go further and argue that, at worst, it is actually racist.

To be a white person appropriating a Black artist’s style and then presenting your artwork without credit, as if it were something entirely original, is profiting from someone else’s creative genius, dismissing the black experience, and shows a lack of respect for Basquiat.

At the end of the day, the subtrend “Showing my artwork, but I am not a man copying Basquiat” is valid criticism, which these young artists should take on board. There is nothing wrong with being inspired by a great artist, especially one as extraordinary as Basquiat. However, it is crucial always to credit your influences and put effort into creating art in which traces of Basquiat may appear but where I can clearly see your unique identity as an artist. Imitation is frowned upon in the art world for a reason, particularly when it involves an artist whose style has been misused by others for financial gain. As a young artist, one should keep this in mind and use the criticism as inspiration to continually evolve.

But even if the Basquiat copies remain just that, something positive has come out of it:

The original trend and its subtrend have enabled artists to reach wider audiences and showcase their work. And that, ultimately, is a win.

Picture source:gq.globo.com