Dua’s Monthly Read for June 2025
“On one level, Widow Basquiat is a chaotic love story between the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and his lover and muse, Suzanne Malouk. Just 20 years old when they meet, we witness them hustling to make it in 1980s New York: a place where anything feels possible but that also hides a dark and sinister side of drugs, violence and racism. The book is also a remarkably deep, tender and, at times, disturbing study of these two young souls – their difficult childhoods, the clubs, bars and galleries they inhabit and the forces of ambition, jealousy and excess that ultimately lead to Basquiat’s death at the age of only 27.
“Today Jean-Michel Basquiat’s art can be seen everywhere from gallery walls to high-top sneakers – and yet he remains an enigma. This book allowed me to see both the artist and his work in a totally different way, giving insights to the symbols and words that repeat in his paintings and revealing the true creative genius behind the icon. It’s also a thrill to witness the evolution of Suzanne Malouk – the artist, muse and bohemian spirit whose light shines so brightly on these pages.
“Along the way, we meet a cast of characters that reads like a who’s who of New York’s early 1980s creative scene: Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Fab 5 Freddy, Rammellzee, Madonna – they’re all here. As much as anything, this is a love letter to an almost mythical New York City that no longer exists. To say I loved Widow Basquiat is an understatement. I’m sure you will too.” – Dua Lipa
Scroll down for Dua’s interview with the author and more content related to the book…
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