Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

In the summer of 1986, Tamra Davis conducted a lengthy video interview with her friend Jean-Michel Basquiat (Brooklyn, 1960-New York, 1988), who was 25 years old and at the height of his career. After over 20 years since that encounter, and the artist’s death, the American director began a long project using the footage, selecting segments for an initial documentary, made in 2006, A Conversation with Jean-Michel Basquiat. The new film, taken from the same material, starts with the artist’s own words and thoughts: an intimate portrait, and at the same time an homage to the man who shared a city, friends and, above all, a passion for art and cinema with the director. Enriched by many statements from friends, fellow-artists and gallerists gathered by the director during her work on the project (including Julian Schnabel, Annina Nosei and Bruno Bischofberger), The Radiant Child reconstructs the cultural climate of New York in the 70s and 80s, in which the Basquiat “phenomenon” occurred, and tells the story, set to rhythms provided by J. Ralph and Beastie Boys Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond, of the work and life of the most important artist of his generation.