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Photo of Jean Michel Basquiat dancing in the Mudd Club
Long read

Basquiat and Downtown

Tim Lawrence remembers the cultural renaissance that was downtown New York's music scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. From SoHo warehouses to Mudd Clubb, we look at how Basquiat's passion for New York's music scene influenced his artistic style

Basquiat bookshelves
Article

Basquiat and Books

Basquiat took inspiration from a dizzying array of source material - how many literary references can you spot?

Basquiat dancing
Article

On Basquiat's Playlist

From Prince to David Byrne to Donna Summer and Bach, we listen to the music that might have been on Basquiat's playlist

A photo showing a character called Lois Weaver in glasses, wearing a black jacket on the phone. It is a red coloured phone and is on a table with some paper. In the background there is a clip from Dr. Strangelove the film
Article

In Their Words: Split Britches

Lois Weaver and Peggy Shaw of Split Britches talk to theatre writer and journalist Carole Woddis about their latest show, changing perceptions, hidden resources and hope.

Basquiat images
Video

Basquiat: Boom For Real - A 360 Exhibition Tour

Join Barbican curator Eleanor Nairne and Gus Casely-Hayford as they look around the 'Encyclopedia' room in our Basquiat: Boom For Real exhibition and discuss the wide range of influences Jean Michel Basquiat brought into his paintings.

Photo of a figure floating under water
Article

A History of Transgender Performance

Following its successful debut at the Barbican last autumn, Transpose guides this year’s audience on an illuminating theatrical journey. Actor, author and singer-songwriter CN Lester takes a brief look at the history of transgender performance.

a man in 80s nyc with a boombox
Playlist

Listen: Downtown NYC music

Go back in time to 80s New York - a creative Mecca for artists, writers and musicians - with a small selection of tracks from those involved in the scene

Man playing xylophone
Video

Barbican Sessions: Black Top

Black Top, the duo of multi-instrumentalist Orphy Robinson and pianist Pat Thomas, perform a live concert after hours in our 'Basquiat: Boom for Real' exhibition.