basquiat/samo village voice
Perhaps the earliest and unquestionably most famous article written about Jean-Michel Basquiat was Philip Faflick’s “Samo Graffiti: Boosh-Wah or CIA?” from the December 11, 1978 issue of The Village Voice.
For most of 1978, the mysterious SAMO© was tagging the New York City streets with enigmatic poems and phrases that captivated the Art World. Until this article, no one knew Jean-Michel and Al Diaz were the anonymous culprits. Though Basquiat and Diaz would disband SAMO© shortly after, this article was the catalyst that elevated Basquiat’s name in the New York art scene, and accelerated his ascent to super stardom.
Complete issues of this periodical are nearly unheard of with only a couple known to the market in the past several years.
Details: The Village Voice (Complete Issue)
Article: Samo Graffiti: Boosh-Wah or CIA?
Date: December 11, 1978
