Jean-Michel Basquiat and Peter Doig are representatives of their times and geographies. The artworks of Basquiat were regarding racism, identity crisis, and social critique. Unlike the socially underlined art of Basquiat in the 1980s, Peter Doig created dreamlike and atmospheric landscapes. He combined reality and imagination, concentrating on memory and place in the 1990s.

Despite the common problems and trends of their respective periods, these artists discovered their unique styles and made valuable contributions to contemporary art. This article aims to explore the life and artistic style of Basquiat and Doig, by comparing their similarities and differences.

Basquiat was born in 1960. He had Haitian from his father and Puerto Rican origins from his mother. He started to make graffiti and signed them with the pseudonym "SAMO". He used acrylics, oils, and crayons on canvas. He preferred to use his art as a social tool. He focused on various themes, such as wealth versus poverty and integration versus segregation. He mixed poetry, drawing, and painting, text, and image. He tried to share his experiences and identify problems in the black community, as well as attacks on power structures and systems of racism.

One of the distinctive features of his art was the usage of symbols. Particularly, he gained the term “Basquiat Crown” in the art history discipline. He started to use it in his early graffiti career. It became one of the focal points of his art. He managed to create a strong impact with such a simple design. There are many theories about the meaning of the crown. It could be the mythological identification of Basquiat himself as a radiant child. It might represent his ambition, making the symbol of kings an artistic identification. Or he may have wanted to generate power and a continuous symbol of influence on the streets of New York.

The crown easily captures the attention of people and enables them to make different meanings by the viewers themselves. It can be seen in his many works in diverse styles. Sometimes he depicted the crown as a halo and sometimes it was depicted with thorns, reminding Christian saints. He tried to change the dynamics of art history by giving crowns to black men.

Red Kings (1981) and Irony of a Negro Police Man (1981) can be shown as important examples of the Basquiat Crown. In a nutshell, Basquiat was an important artist, producing artworks under the influence of Neo-expressionism and managed to remain one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. He is known for bringing street art to galleries.

Peter Doig was especially known in the 1990s. Like Basquiat, his paintings are sold at really high prices at auctions. He depicts mysterious landscapes. He revitalized the landscape painting tradition of the 19th century in a more modern and imaginative manner. Doig is heavily influenced by Edward Munch, H. C. Westermann, Friedrich, Monet and Klimt. His paintings are based on the landscape and figure photographs that he took.

While Doig uses oil on canvas, Basquiat often used acrylics, oils, and crayons on canvas. Doig's paintings balance landscapes and figures, blending historical and personal references into unique abstractions. His works capture powerful snapshots of contemporary life, making them both personal and universally relevant. His artistic practice has no central formula and offers insight into his personal history and political views. He received a very formal education, unlike Basquiat raising himself through street art.

After attending boarding school in Scotland, he moved to London to study at various art schools from 1979 to 1990, earning an MA. He became a professor at the Fine Arts Academy in Düsseldorf. In 2007, a painting by Doig titled "White Canoe'' was sold at Sotheby's for $11.3 million, setting an auction record for a work by a living European artist at the time. As in the case of Jean-Michel Basquiat, these awards and auction prices prove that he has a huge global influence due to his unique and innovative style.

Grande Riviere (2001-2002, Oil on Canvas), Canoe Lake (1977, Oil on Canvas, Yageo Foundation, Taiwan), and Orange Sunshine (1995-1996, Oil on Canvas) can be shown as his significant paintings. Canoe Lake captures the serene beauty of a quiet lake, reflecting Peter Doig’s childhood in Canada. The canoe is seen mirrored in a magical and mystical way, becoming emblematic of his work. In his painting, he illustrates the green ripples of the water and the warm thickness of a summer night.

In conclusion, the late 20th century was vital for contemporary art. Because of the Basquiat, graffiti and neo-expressionism became a part of art history. Because of the variety of styles and art movements, Peter Doig and Basquiat managed to create their particular paths. Both of the artists have a global influence, high auction prices, and innovative styles. However, their artistic themes and backgrounds are completely different from each other.

The art of Basquiat has so many social messages and symbols, such as the Basquiat Crown, unlike Peter Doig, whom took a very formal art education and depicted imaginary figures and landscapes. Nevertheless, these two artists managed to leave their mark on art history.

Photo Credit: "Scottish National Gallery, Academy Entrance - Doig Exhibition" by Brian McNeil.