Widow Basquiat

Praise

“Stunningly lyrical . . . Original, insightful, and engrossing. . . . While filled with pop culture anecdotes art fans might seek—Andy Warhol and Rene Ricard both make appearances, for instance—Clement’s account is an honest love story above all else.”—Publishers Weekly

“Sublime, poetic…[Clement] chronicles her close friend Suzanne Mallouk’s love affair with Basquiat in elegant, spare, riveting prose…A powerful female coming of age story…A harrowing, beautifully told love story about two seekers colliding in a pivotal moment in history, and setting everything, including themselves, on fire.”—Rebecca Walker for NPR

“Magical…. Widow Basquiat conjures real characters, a real time and real place.  It’s not theory – it’s representation. … The life of Basquiat … is a joyous lightning bolt when it is described in true detail, as it is in Clement’s extraordinary as-told-to poem.”—Glenn O’Brien, Artforum

“Provocative…With short, episodic chapters, Clement (Prayers for the Stolen, 2014, etc.) delivers real insight into the life of the brilliant artist as well as the glittering—but ultimately chaotic—world that consumed him…Disturbing and poetic.”—Kirkus

“A beautifully evocative, poetic memoir … Basquiat was aware of the criteria with which posterity would judge him. Widow Basquiat should be part of those criteria.” –The Herald
 
“An engrossing narrative… Clement offers far more clues to the cryptic symbols which litter his [Basquiat’s] paintings than any art critic could.” –The Times
 
“A brilliant account of the relationship between Basquiat and his muse and lover … a compelling book that leaves a giant sized lump in the throat … Clement hypnotises us with a vivid portrait of Basquiat, powerfully evoking his inventiveness as an artist.” –Independent on Sunday