Never sure quite what to make of the work of Basquiat, this film helped my understanding of the motives behind much of his early work, as well as much of the arts climate in Soho at the time. Having lived in Soho this summer and working in the area as well, it was really interesting to see the changes that have occurred in the neighborhood. However, more shocking was likely the similarities between the climate seen in the movie and the types of art seen in the neighborhood today.
Especially interesting was the way in which artists were able to interact in this area during the time. I feel as if now this ability is marginalized due to the influence of social media, a more defined art market and the greater gentrification of the area. However, there is reason to believe that some of this still exists in the form of street fairs and vendors selling works on the sidewalks. Walking the area this summer, I was surprised to see much less graffiti than I would have expected. At first I thought there was a chance that possibly the general population was less charged, both politically and socially, and therefore refraining from producing work, but after consideration and watching this movie I realize I am wrong. Possibly the graffiti of the times in Soho is more emphasized in social media spheres, however this makes the conversation between artists much less notable and therefore draws less public attention from the art market as a whole.