Artist Quote by Keith Haring
“I didn't start doing graffiti until two years after I got to New York. Jean Michel Basquiat was one of my main inspirations for doing graffiti. For a year I didn't know who Jean Michel was, but I knew his work.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art Talk, 1985
The artist was inspired by Basquiat without knowing his name, showing influence can be visual before personal.
In simple terms: Inspiration can come from work alone.
Key Takeaway
Observe and learn from art before seeking the artist.
Themes
art
inspiration
graffiti
learning
Mood
curious
creative
Type
artistic
motivational
When to use this quote
- street art practice
- museum visits
- art education
- personal style development
Key Concepts
visual culture
creative influence
urban art
Questions to Reflect On
- Who influences you beyond their reputation?
- What visual cues guide your creative choices?
A Different Perspective
Relying solely on name recognition may limit deeper understanding.
![“My mom is a painter, so I've been doing drawings and paintings as early as I can remember. Then there was this gap where I was doing graffiti in high school and making as much [traditional] art.” quote by Alec Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/842/alec-monopoly-41082_art_my-mom-is-a-painter-so-i-ve-been-doing-d_1928776.jpg)
![“I think as much as possible, an artist, if he has any kind of social or political concern, has to…expose as much as possible what he sees so that some people think about things that they don’t normally think about… [Art] should be something that liberates the soul, provokes the imagination and…” quote by Keith Haring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ee/keith-haring-14071_art_i-think-as-much-as-possible-an-artist-if_138866.jpg)
