Basquiat’s Legacy Lives On: Paris Dedicates Plaza to Iconic Artist
In September 2018, Paris officially honored Jean-Michel Basquiat—an iconic figure of American street art—by inaugurating Place Jean-Michel Basquiat, a public plaza in the 13th arrondissement now bearing his name.
The project, part of the Paris Rive Gauche redevelopment, began with the Paris Council’s 2014 decision to name the square after the artist in a neighborhood known for embracing urban creativity. Basquiat’s sisters attended the dedication ceremony on September 29, 2018, alongside Paris’s mayor, local officials, and designer Agnès b.
The naming celebrates Basquiat’s transformation from graffiti writer under the tag SAMO to a leading figure in neo-expressionism during the 1980s. It acknowledges both his artistic innovation and his lasting impact on street art and contemporary culture. The ceremony also recognized his Haitian and Puerto Rican heritage and his role in breaking racial barriers in the art world.
The plaza’s location—near Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand and surrounded by public murals—reinforces Paris’s commitment to integrating street art into urban life. As one of the few places in Europe to publicly commemorate Basquiat, the square cements his global influence and affirms his legacy as a visionary who redefined how art, race, and identity intersect in the modern city.