Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Voice From the Streets Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1960 to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life was a collision of cultures and experiences that profoundly shaped his art. His early years were marked by movement – leaving home at fifteen to live in Lower Manhattan, immersing himself in the vibrant, often chaotic world of New York City's downtown scene. He found work as a messenger boy, a dishwasher, and even a nightclub bouncer, absorbing the energy and grit of the city while simultaneously honing his artistic skills through sketching and p…