The Whitney Museum of American Art is now located at 99 Gansevoort Street in New York. Currently on view is an exhibition called America Is Hard To See. The exhibition features American artworks of different media by many artists. The artwork is displayed chronologically, with the oldest work on the top floor, and the most recent work on the 1^st floor. Many of the art pieces explore different views of what America has exhibited over time, in a negative or positive manner. The works in the exhibit reflect that America has projected diversity, new cultures, and numerous issues, that bring about situations many of the artists successfully address through their artwork. It is up to the viewer to interpret what they think of the artists’ view. The variety of the museum’s exhibition provides interesting knowledge and experiences for everyone.

The bright yellow and green acrylic and oil stick canvas, Hollywood Africans by Jean-Michel Basquiat addresses the multiple stereotypes involving people of color in the entertainment industry, as well as American society at large. Around the canvas, he paints obscured phrases such as “Sugar Cane,” “Tobacco,” “Gangsterism,” and “What is Bwana?” to describe the limited roles that African American actors face in Hollywood due to discrimination. He also paints a trio of figures: the artist himself, the rap musician Rammellzee, and the painter Toxic, who had traveled with him from New York to Los Angeles. Jean-Michel Basquiat typically promoted his artwork by calling attention towards his ability to make viewers analyze his paintings. Basquiat often crossed out words or phrases in his works. The technique, he explained, was actually meant to direct attention to them, “I cross out words so you will see them more; the fact that they are obscured makes you want to read them.”

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Acrylic and oil stick on canvas
“Hollywood Africans” (1983)

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s painting reflects many of the issues African Americans deal with everyday. Whether being in the entertainment industry, politically and/or socially, racism and discrimination have always been present. It has been a border of separation that aims to shut down voices. He reflects these issues through many of his paintings, and one specifically was Hollywood Africans. Though the artist brings about many issues, he has always celebrated African American culture through his paintings, often making people of color the protagonists of his paintings. He has become a symbol of brilliance and will always be known as one of the most inspirational artists who broke racial boundaries during his time of living.