Basquiat Tribute
Artist description:
This piece contains many personal and vulnerable elements
in the text…
When I was a few years into my career, I saw the film Basquiat
by Julian Schnabel
I remember the ticket-taker smirking at me
with my paint-covered clothes and
fishing tackle box full of art supplies as I walked
into the theatre
I was completely unaware of his work before this moment, although I did see the Warhol-Basquiat collaborations in NYC when I was 16… not realizing they weren’t done by
Warhol alone
Needless to say, I related to JMB immensely
and my love for his work was immediate (although what I was seeing was Schnabel’s Basquiat-style paintings he had done for the film - the estate did not give Schnabel permission to use
any pieces so he had to make his own)
At the time my girlfriend had kicked me out of our apartment
and started dating my best friend and lead singer of my band…
I was a mess
And I would walk around with my Basquiat book and art supplies working constantly everywhere I went
I remember one very desperate evening
when I actually prayed to Basquiat
-Casey McGlynn, 2026
-----
Casey McGlynn’s mixed media paintings are instantly recognizable for their richly layered surfaces and expressive, tactile intensity. The artist constructs highly textured compositions, giving each work with a sense of history, movement, and raw authenticity. Rips, tears, and staining are characteristic of the artist's technique, and are intentional additions to the artist's lively compositions.
McGlynn’s work merges abstraction with narrative, drawing on autobiography, memory, and pop culture symbolism. His canvases pulse with vibrant colour, gestural mark-making, and graphic elements. Figures, animals, and symbolic forms often emerge from the surface, layered within a visual language that is at once playful, emotional, and deeply introspective.
Influenced by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly, McGlynn’s paintings balance spontaneity with intention, bridging fine art and contemporary visual culture. The result is a body of work that feels immediate and alive, appealing to collectors seeking bold, statement-making contemporary art with depth and character.
