A block of Great Jones Street in downtown Manhattan, between Bowery and Lafayette Street, has been officially renamed Jean-Michel Basquiat Way in honor of the late Neo-Expressionist artist. Basquiat lived and worked at 57 Great Jones Street from 1983 until his death from a heroin overdose at age 27 in 1988, renting the space from his friend Andy Warhol. On October 21, New York city council members and Basquiat's family, including his sister Lisane Basquiat, unveiled the street signs. The building now features a commemorative plaque and has been rented by actress Angelina Jolie as a showroom and curatorial space for her fashion brand Jolie Atelier.
The renaming cements Basquiat's lasting cultural impact on New York City, where he rose from a teenage graffiti tagger under the pseudonym SAMO to an international art star. It also highlights ongoing efforts to memorialize artists who shaped the city's creative identity, following a similar tribute in Paris, where Place Jean-Michel Basquiat was named in 2018. The honor underscores Basquiat's enduring legacy despite the tragic exploitation and pressures he faced in the art market.