Focusing on topics of 'Suggestive Dichotomies,' young Neo-Expressionism painter, Jean-Michel Basquiat questions the people of 20th century. Touching on sensitive subjects like wealth vs. poverty, and integration vs. segregation, his abstract-like paintings have provoked discussions and grasped the attention of critics and fans. Born in Brooklyn, New York in an African-American household, Basquiat experienced the unpleasant side of life. 

At age 7, Basquiat was involved in a minor car accident that put him into a hospital. From that moment, Basquiat was forever interested in the complexity of the construction of a human body. In the painting Scull, despite the head having teeth, a nose, and eyes the painting shows the decaying of the face, which symbolizes an incomplete human being. Basquiat uses abstract lines and shapes of graffiti to cover the right side of the face giving the illusion of skin being there. By looking at the train-track like lines that could have been based off of the NY subway, he could have presented the world this piece that may represent his struggles of running away from home and exploring the chaotic side of life in New York. He uses bright complimentary colors of blue and orange to simplify the painting and emphasize the focal point, which is the head.