The story behind AONE A.K.A. KINGs by Jean Michel Basquiat by kool koor
Portrait of AONE a.k.a.KINGS a painting by Basquiat, Rammellzee, AONE and Kool Koor
Medium: acrylic, oilstick and marker on canvas mounted on tied wood supports
Signature: signed, titled and dated ""PORTRAIT OF A ONE A.K.A. KINGS" Jean Michel Basquiat SEPT 1982" on the reverse
Size:72 x 72 3/8 in. (182.9 x 183.8 cm)
Year: 1982
Kool Koor, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. I’d like to go back to the moment when this work was created with Basquiat, Rammellzee, and A-One. Can you tell me where you were all hanging out that day? Was it in a studio, someone’s apartment, or more of an improvised place? What is already framed with the characteristic stretchers?
“It was done at Jeans place. It was a moment hanging out together and it just happened. No plan in mind just “go for it !”. I did my ARBITRATOR KOOR tag on the top in the middle and additional KOOR tags vertically on the right. It was an organic process.
I never knew what happened to that painting after that day.
It was a pleasant discovery to see it again. Of course it brought back a lot of memories from back in the days.”
What was the occasion? Did you plan to sit down and create something together, or did it happen more spontaneously, just as part of the flow of the evening?
“Like I said above indeed it was a spontaneous thing. Just being in the flow of the moment.”
Kool Koor with Jean Michel Basquiat at the Fun Gallery Photo by Lina Bertucci 1982
At that point in time, were you all spending a lot of time together? Was it common for you, Basquiat, Rammellzee, and A-One to gather, hang out, and sometimes make art as a group?
“We were all close friends and spent time together daily with one another. A One lived in the same building as me in the Bronx. Ramm was living in Far Rockaway then moved into Greenwich village then down into TriBeCa so he was downtown like Hean Michel all the time. We would go out to dinners and parties on the regular. Chilling at one an others place was typical. Making art as a group was not a daily thing. Even though Rammell’s A One and I were in the same crew TMK. We did exhibit together all over the world together with Jean Michel in almost every major group show about NYC Graffiti.”
Would you say you were all close friends during that period, or more fellow artists within the same scene who crossed paths often?
“Close friends for sure”
I’d also love to hear about the process of this particular piece. From what I understand, the tags and background were done first, and then later Basquiat painted the central figure over it. How did that layering come about? Did each of you naturally take on your role, or was there some discussion around who did what?
“It was organic. No plan at all, just go for it! No second guessing no meeting about who should do what. “
Toxic, A-One, and Kool Koor, September 1982. Photograph © Mark Baron
And outside of studio work, what about tagging on the streets? Did Basquiat also join you and the others in going out to paint and tag, or was he more focused on his paintings and studio practice at that time?
“We all tagged when we hung out. That too was organic. If there was a marker it was shared. If it was a spray can it was shared. We tagged daily doing from point A to point B. It was a natural part of being a writer. No need to floss it up. It was simply what we did daily.”
Looking back, did you and the group make more works together in a similar way, layering different contributions into one piece? Or was this more of a special, one-off moment?
“Yes there were other collaborative works done for sure. Where they are today?????? Your guess is as good as mine. Certain works I did with A One and Ramm are known. Besides those known for sure there are others that I’ve forgotten about.”
Finally, when you think about that period today, what memories come back to you most strongly? Not just about the art itself, but about the atmosphere, the friendship, and the energy of those days in New York.
Rammellzee, Kool Koor, Fab 5 Freddy, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Toxic at the Fun Gallery in the East Village, 1982. Photo by Lina Bertucci
“It was a vibrant period in my life. I have fond memories of the scene in NYC. Be it the arts, music of fashion. The city was full of creative people all trying to make a name for themselves. Every night there was something going on somewhere in the city. You never ran out of things to do. The scenes were also very integrated. At a night club you could see a punk rocker next to a b boy dancing and drinking. Skin colour, religious beliefs and sexual orientation didn’t matter. Every one was on that “ one nation under a groove” mode.”
