Al Diaz Clarifies SAMO's Origins With Basquiat

Artist Al Diaz is asserting a more nuanced understanding of SAMO©, a collaborative project he initiated with Jean-Michel Basquiat in the late 1970s. Diaz contends that SAMO© has been oversimplified, often relegated to a mere alias for Basquiat, a conventional graffiti tag, or a reductive acronym for "Same Old Shit." Instead, Diaz describes SAMO© as an "invented product," a series of cryptic and satirical messages intended for the general public navigating downtown New York City streets, rather than exclusively for fellow graffiti artists. This perspective is central to his first solo exhibition in London, titled ‘SAMO: TRANSATLANTICATION,’ which opened on September 25 at D’Stassi Art. The exhibition features new SAMO© canvases alongside works from his ongoing subway-signage series and mixed-media practice, aiming to present a more comprehensive view of his artistic evolution and his sustained engagement with language. Diaz expressed his frustration with the prevailing, simplified historical narrative, stating, "I’m not going to stand around and listen to a history that you’re part of being told incorrectly." He emphasized his proactive stance, "I’m not one to sit there quietly." The exhibition provides a platform for Diaz to revisit the origins of SAMO©, his collaboration with Basquiat prior to Basquiat's widespread fame, and to challenge the popular interpretation of "Same Old Shit" as missing the project's core intent. He also reflects on the significance of revisiting this history nearly five decades later. Diaz's relationship with D’Stassi Art began around 2019 or 2020 when he met Michael Howes. This initial connection led to a collaboration with an artist represented by the gallery, followed by the release of an edition of two print images. Maintaining contact over the subsequent years, the gallery eventually proposed a show focused on the SAMO© project, which Diaz originally created with Basquiat in 1978. Diaz previously revived the SAMO© concept in 2016, indicating a long-standing desire to re-examine and recontextualize the project. The exhibition aims to showcase the depth and complexity of SAMO© beyond its common, superficial interpretations, highlighting Diaz's continued artistic development and his unique relationship with language and public messaging.