Grillo (1984), Jean-Michel Basquiat
"THIS LAND IS ALL MINE" detail
Maude Wahlman - Maude Wahlman. Signs and Symbols: African Images in African American Quilts (edited)
'NSIBIDI' detail with anaforuana signs
Jean-Michel, nwanne?
Jean-Michel Basquiat and Nsibidi
Jean-Michel Basquiat was explicitly influenced by nsibidi designs and used many in his works, including anaforuana. Nsibidi is an ancient ideographic writing system mostly used by ‘secret’ men’s societies in southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Before the 20th century it was widely used by the general public for communication purposes, including for ‘love’ notes, and [body] decoration; nsibidi was transported to the Caribbean by Efik, Ibibio, Ejagham, and Igbo speakers where it influenced the creation of anaforuana (Cuba) and vévé (Haiti). Flash of the Spirit by Robert Thompson was Jean-Michel’s favourite book on African art history (via The Radiant Child) which has significant information about nsibidi. Several sources also make the link between his works and nsibidi, particularly in Grillo (1984) above. Nsibidi is all over the work, but I’ve circled out in red the ones that stood out to me. He also wrote out ‘NSIBIDI’ in this drawing.