An Interview with Tamra Davis, director of Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child November 9, 2010

An interview filmed and left in a drawer for over two decades of seminal artist Jean-Michel Basquiat serves as the basis for this feature length portrait of the artist. Jean-Michel Basquiat: the Radiant Child by Tamra Davis chronicles the rise and tragic end of one of the most fascinating artists of the twentieth century.We managed to interview director Tamra Davis at this years Sheffield Doc Fest.

Tamra Davis, the first question that comes to mind after watching your documentary was if this film was intended to map out Basquiat’s later years (had he lived longer) or was it always going to be a snapshot in time?
I wanted the film to be about his art and not so much about his personal life and family. I wanted to introduce him in the film the same time henwas introduced into the ny scene. The film starts as he arrives in NYC. It was this 7-8 years that he produced his body of work

I’ve read in previous interviews with you that you were hesitant to release the footage because when Jean-Michel was alive, he was saddened that all his friends had sold the gifts that he had given to them. You said you didn’t want to turn the relationship into profit. This definitely does not come across in the film. But what moment/event prompted you to finally go ahead with releasing it?
When the Basquiat retrospective came to Los Angeles I casually mentioned that I had footage of Basquiat and had cut it into a short film. I showed it to the museum directors and they told me that the footage was very rare and historical and did not belong in my drawer. I presented the short at Sundance and got the interest of Arthouse Pictures who offered to help me make it into a feature. Then I was lucky enough to receive the permission from the father who runs the Basquiat estate and I was on my way.

Was Basquiat easy to interview? Was he open with his answers or did you have to probe him?
He was nervous at first and I didn’t understand why. Becky and I were two of his closest friends. By the end of the interview he was fine and wanted it to continue. It wasn’t until I was making the feature that I uncovered an interview he did when he was younger. He was so humiliated and upset that he didn’t do another filmed interview for almost 5 years, mine.

To me the film was a eulogy to your friend - it must have been a very emotional experience making it. Do you think if Basquiat could watch it, he would be pleased with the way he was portrayed in it?
While making the film I tried to hear his voice and imagine showing him the film. I kept this in my mind and heart constantly while making the film. I really wanted to make a film that I thought he would be happy with. It was very emotional for me and I think I cried almost every day that I was in the edit room. I really wanted the audience to have an emotional experience and felt that if it moved me that it could move the audience, even if they didn’t know him personally.

As your friend, has Basquiat taught you anything in particular about life? Is there one bit of advice you know he would give to us if we asked him?
I liked that he had so much fun and whenever we did stuff he wanted to do it to the fullest. He wanted to go to the best clubs, listen to the best music, eat the best food and drink the best wine. We were always on the quest for the ultimate experience. It would be a bit exhausting to hang out with him but he always had so much passion and energy. I loved that about him. He also saw the world with the joy of a child, each thing that he loved would make him so happy. In that same way though he was very emotional and would get very upset and irrational. Just like my little boys. Jean-Michel was not much for advice. He was quite humble and instead I found loved to learn. I gained a lot of my fearlessness from him. He felt that he was the best and could reach to the top especially in a field where there were so few if any African American painters. We would often chart our takeover of the film and art world. Two twenty year olds that were incredibly idealistic. There were not a lot of women directors either but that didn’t stop me.

What’s next for you? Are you going to make any more documentaries?
I’m continuing to work in Television and Film. I directed a pilot that just got picked up into a series and I will be shooting that all Spring. I hope to do a feature film again. As far as a documentary, I loved making this film and if I could find a subject that I would be just as passionate about I would do it again. It was a tremendous amount of work for one person. I’m happy to be done with it and pass it on to you and it will always be my love letter to Jean-Michel.