Painting the city pink? Regulars at New York's Bowery won't fail to notice that a coat of pink paint has been spread all over Jean-Michel's former studio. Basquiat at 57 Great Jones Street. Even a memorial plaque dedicated to the iconic artist was targeted, according to East Village news blog EV Grieve.
Basquiat rented the property to his friend Andy Warhol in 1983 until his death in 1988.
The space is currently being rented by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who plans to use the three-story building as the headquarters for Atelier Jolie, her new fashion brand. “It’s a privilege to be in this space,” she wrote on Instagram. “We hope to create a community of creativity and inspiration, regardless of socioeconomic background,” she promised. “We will bring together a diverse team, including internships for refugees and other talented and underappreciated groups, with skill-based positions of dignity.”
Following this sentiment, Jolie made a point of not wanting to change the exterior of the building, which was covered in graffiti that paid homage to the legacy of Basquiat, who began his career making street art. In July, artist Adrian Wilson added a massive crown, one of his signature Basquiat, to its facade and apparently cleaned the sign.
Legend has it that the building, which has existed since the 1860s, was once the headquarters of gangster Paul Kelly. More recently, it housed an invitation-only Japanese restaurant called Bohemian. It was made available to new occupants for $60,000 per month by Meridian Capital Group last November, described as an “open loft with high ceilings and multiple skylights.”
Source: Artnet News