Comparative Appraisal

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), David Larwill (1956-2011) and

Zsuzsanna Murray (1996- )

Spider (2007)
David Larwill (1956-2011)
Acrylic on Linen
183 x 137 cm

Fishing (1981)
Jean-Michel Basquiat (19601988)
Acrylic and Crayon on
Canvas
198.1 x 172.7 cm

My World Is Falling Down

(2012)
Zsuzsanna Murray (1996-)
Acrylic on Paper

Introduction:
When looking into theory of Art, one can draw parallels between the
characteristics of different artists, styles, and times. Jean-Michel Basquiat
(1960-1988) was a French neo-expressionist graffiti artist who was
discovered to show in galleries. His skills as a graffiti artist show
prominence in his work, with dripping paint and rough, expressionistic
lines. David Larwill (1956-2011) was an Australian artist who worked on
linen with oil paint with forms that portrayed child-like qualities in their
positioning and bright colour. These two artists were the inspiration for my
own artwork, My World Is Falling Down (2012) and their influences can be
seen throughout the painting.
Influences:
Basquiat found great influence in the works of medical journals, following
a car accident he endured as a child. This trauma led to his discovery of
medical journals containing many x-rays and biological diagrams. This
influence can be seen in Fishing (1981) through the skeletal qualities of
the central figure. Additionally, Basquiat had the capability of weaving his
heritage into his works. The Nubian tribe was a darker-skinned clan that

were considered slaves to the Ancient Egyptians, and Basquiat focused

many of his works on the slave trade and the interminable dispute that it
caused upon blacks like him. This is similar to Larwill, whose influences
were predominantly culturally based, but Larwill focusing more on
concepts and qualities from South Pacific and Australasian tribal art than a
topic of such controversy as slavery and close to his own history. These
minimalistic and tribal qualities that the tribes of this area used can be
identified in Spider (2007).
Larwill was a member of the Roar movement in Melbourne, Australia. This
was a venue where artists had the ability to showcase work without the
need of a private gallery. A group of expressionist painters whom
eventually became a focal point against conceptualism at the time were
the majority of the works shown. Similarly, Basquiat was intent on
changing the perception of art, and particularly the treatment of Blacks in
a Caucasian society, but also his techniques and styles were often
questioned.
In both artworks, there is evidence of a character portrayal. In Larwills
Spider (2007), the central figure is the human-like form that is the focal
point, and alike to Basquaits Fishing (1981). However, in Basquiats work,
there is a more obvious cultural link, and there is less equality between
figures.
Similarly to Larwill, I took influence from a separate culture to my own. In
Hindu Mythology, the world is said to have been placed on the backs of
four elephants on a giant, World Turtle, and the concept of a world falling
apart is evident. Other than cultural links between the three works, there
are also distinguishable connections in the stylings.
Description of the Subject Matter:
David Larwills Spider (2007) contains very childlike qualities in the figures.
The sense of the artwork is less conceptual than Basquiats, the frame
containing various figures frightened of a spider. There is no back or
middle ground, and all the figures in the artwork are evenly balanced and
spaced. The figures are rendered much the same, as an abstracted form
painted with bright fluctuating colours and outlined in black.
The linework in Spider (2007) is somewhat reminiscent to the qualities of
Basquiats Fishing (1981), as the central figure is predominantly black with
a rough outline. There are expressionistic features that are evident in both
artworks, but more primarily recognized in Fishing (1981) as there is less
constriction to the forms between the outlines.
My own artwork, My World is Falling Down (2012) has been influenced by
Basquiats inventive line work and the use of dripping paint to give more
expressionistic qualities to the piece. There are gestural qualities in both
Basquiat and Larwills works that I have tried to capture in my own, in the

loose application of the paint and in the placement of colour inside the
figures.
Analysing the Principles
In the majority of his works, Basquiat is able to create an atmosphere that
is quirky and eccentric that highlights the distortion of the image. There is
a domination of a complementary colours and a juxtaposition of warm
amber and lilac in graffiti-like application. Complementary colours tend to
give a disturbing effect as the hues are so contrasting from one another,
so this adds to the unsettling features of the artwork.
David Larwill in Spider (2007) is expressing human forms, though they are
still recognisable and hold their identity as a form. The overall mood of the
artwork is playful and the colours used add to this. There is no
background, as opposed to Basquiat, and his figures are coloured rather
than a form of black and white line work. The colours used are more in
variety and are predominantly primary with a Red-Green complementary
set.
Taking from Basquiats modest colour palette, my own artwork is
principally a complementary colour palette of azure and tones of warm
amber to add to the concept of a world that is falling down in a sense
and distorting.
Conclusion
Basquiat, Larwill and I all live[d] in different periods with different
influences and this is evident in the three artworks being compared.
However, there are qualities that all three possess as if reminiscent of the
previous art styles and movements. This can be seen through Basquiats
use of colour as opposed to Larwills, but both possess qualities of
distortion and improvisation that brings something personal to the
artwork.

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http://www.timolsengallery.com/pages/exhibition_layout.php?
exhibition_id=135
http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/jean-michel-basquiat/fishing