Historian and artist Caleb Neelon explores the relationship between Basquiat and the history of graffiti, and its impact today. Bring your questions...
Course
Basquiat in Context
The visual art of Jean-Michel Basquiat and his contemporaries embraced a range of creative practices from hip-hop and jazz music to wildstyle lettering and street art. Through multiple perspectives, explore the historical, musical, and art historical contexts of the artists at the heart of New York’s vibrant 1980s post-graffiti movement.
Take the full five-week course or choose the lectures that interest you most.
Ticket Packages

Wheelchair accessible

Assistive listening system
Past Events
April 28, 2020
10:30 am–12:00 pm
Historian and artist Caleb Neelon explores the relationship between Basquiat and the history of graffiti, and its impact today. Bring your questions...
April 16, 2020
7:00 pm–8:30 pm
The post-graffiti moment in 1980s New York City marked the transition of street art from city walls and subway trains onto canvas and into the art...
April 14, 2020
10:30 am–12:00 pm
The post-graffiti moment in 1980s New York City marked the transition of street art from city walls and subway trains onto canvas and into the art...
April 9, 2020
7:00 pm–8:30 pm
In the 1990s, mainstream hip-hop appealed to a broad demographic favoring both “hardcore” recordings and radio-friendly pop rap. Underground scenes...
April 7, 2020
10:30 am–12:00 pm
In the 1990s, mainstream hip-hop appealed to a broad demographic favoring both “hardcore” recordings and radio-friendly pop rap. Underground scenes...
April 2, 2020
7:00 pm–8:30 pm
Jean-Michel Basquiat exploded into a volatile New York art scene expanding in all directions. A new generation of conceptual artists mixed texts and...
March 31, 2020
10:30 am–12:00 pm
Jean-Michel Basquiat exploded into a volatile New York art scene expanding in all directions. A new generation of conceptual artists mixed texts and...
March 26, 2020
7:00 pm–8:30 pm
In New York City in the early 1970s, institutionalized racism and systemic neglect had left African American, West Indian, and Latinx communities...
March 24, 2020
10:30 am–12:00 pm
In New York City in the early 1970s, institutionalized racism and systemic neglect had left African American, West Indian, and Latinx communities...
Ticket Information
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.