10 of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s beloved Los Angeles haunts
Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, born and raised in Brooklyn, was integral to Manhattan’s experimental, 1980s-era art scene. But the late artist had an important history in Los Angeles. He spent about a year and a half living here between 1982 and 1984. He at first stayed with art dealer Larry Gagosian at his Market Street house in Venice. Later, Basquiat leased a nearby studio.
Basquiat returned to L.A. throughout the ’80s and sometimes made stopovers here on his way to and from Hawaii, where he liked to vacation. While living here, he was extremely focused and prolific — he made about 100 paintings in that time.
‘Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure,’ produced by the late artist’s sisters, features more than 200 paintings, drawings and ephemera from the family’s estate, and immersive re-creations of places important to him.
Many of Basquiat’s favorite haunts, such as the nightclub Power Tools — co-founded by Jon Sidel and Matt Dike and at which Basquiat DJ’d —are no longer around. Others, such as the original Spago restaurant, the Maxfield Blue store and Larry Gagosian Gallery, have changed locations and, in some cases, tweaked their names (the store is now Maxfield, the gallery is Gagosian).
But some of the places around town where Basquiat enjoyed spending time are still here. Here are a few of them.
Mr Chow
Chateau Marmont
Gemini G.E.L.
L’Ermitage Hotel
Nuart Theatre
Spago
Gagosian
Maxfield
Venice Boardwalk Bike Rental
Mulholland Drive lookout point
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