Today we’re featuring the original *art star* himself, Jean-Michel Basquiat aka SAMO (his infamous signature that stands for “same old shit”). I was talking to a friend about New York artists this morning, and when I found out he didn’t know of Basquiat, I got online in a frenzy and sent a bunch of info and images his way. Then I thought, why not dedicate this Friday post to Basquiat? His reckless abandon that characterized both his art and his life just pulses through his art in the most powerful way. You can feel the pure energy oozing off his paintings, they are positively screaming at the viewer! Classified as a neo-expressionist and hailing from Brooklyn, Basquiat began painting graffiti on the streets and ended an art icon, his work very famous at the time of his tragic death at 27 from a massive drug overdose. He dated Madonna and hung out with Warhol. His art was alive with a primitive, unexplainable force. He was one of a kind. Here’s to you Basquiat…