How an Art Exhibit Cracked a Glass Ceiling

The significance of this cultural moment cannot be overstated

Courtesy of Chaédria LaBouvier

Writer and curator Chaédria LaBouvier is the first Black solo curator to launch an exhibition at the Guggenheim focused on Jean-Michel Basquiat’s artwork Defacement.

Defacement was created as a response to the murder of burgeoning New York City artist Michael Stewart who was killed by the NYPD in 1983. The painting is considered to be Basquiat’s most personal work as it explores Black identity with respect to police brutality and corruption. In this exclusive interview with Morgan Jerkins, LaBouvier discusses carrying the weight of that responsibility and more.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s The Death of Michael Stewart, 1983. © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar Photo: Allison Chipak. © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 2019

Morgan Jerkins: Chaédria, for those who are not privy to the art world, how is it that Jean-Michel Basquiat, who is so well-known, is just now getting his first exhibition in a Manhattan museum in 27 years?