Jean-Michel Basquiat: Astrological Article and Chart

Horoscope and chart of Jean-Michel Basquiat

Astrological portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat (excerpt)

Disclaimer: these short excerpts of astrological charts are computer processed. They are, by no means, of a personal nature. This principle is valid for the celebrities included in our database. These texts provide the meanings of planets, or combination of planets, in signs and in houses, as well as the interpretations of planetary dominants in line with modern Western astrology rules. Moreover, since Astrotheme is not a polemic website, no negative aspect which may damage the good reputation of a celebrity is posted here, unlike in the comprehensive astrological portrait.

Introduction

Here are some character traits from Jean-Michel Basquiat's birth chart. This description is far from being comprehensive but it can shed light on his/her personality, which is still interesting for professional astrologers or astrology lovers.

N.B.: as this celebrity's birth time is unknown, the chart is arbitrarily calculated for 12:00 PM - the legal time for his/her place of birth; since astrological houses are not taken into account, this astrological profile excerpt is less detailed than those for which the birth time is known.

The dominant planets of Jean-Michel Basquiat

When interpreting a natal chart, the best method is to start gradually from general features to specific ones. Thus, there is usually a plan to be followed, from the overall analysis of the chart and its structure, to the description of its different character traits.

In the first part, an overall analysis of the chart enables us to figure out the personality's main features and to emphasize several points that are confirmed or not in the detailed analysis: in any case, those general traits are taken into account. Human personality is an infinitely intricate entity and describing it is a complex task. Claiming to rapidly summarize it is illusory, although it does not mean that it is an impossible challenge. It is essential to read a natal chart several times in order to absorb all its different meanings and to grasp all this complexity. But the exercise is worthwhile.

In brief, a natal chart is composed of ten planets: two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, three fast-moving or individual planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars, two slow-moving planets, Jupiter and Saturn, and three very slow-moving planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Additional secondary elements are: the Lunar Nodes, the Dark Moon or Lilith, Chiron and other minor objects. They are all posited on the Zodiac wheel consisting of twelve signs, from Aries to Pisces, and divided into twelve astrological houses.

The first step is to evaluate the importance of each planet. This is what we call identifying the dominant planets. This process obeys rules that depend on the astrologer's sensitivity and experience but it also has precise and steady bases: thus, we can take into account the parameters of a planet's activity (the number of active aspects a planet forms, the importance of each aspect according to its nature and its exactness), angularity parameters; (proximity to the four angles, Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant and Imum Coeli or Nadir, all of them being evaluated numerically, according to the kind of angle and the planet-angle distance) and quality parameters (rulership, exaltation, exile and fall). Finally, other criteria such as the rulership of the Ascendant and the Midheaven etc. are important.

These different criteria allow a planet to be highlighted and lead to useful conclusions when interpreting the chart.

The overall chart analysis begins with the observation of three sorts of planetary distributions in the chart: Eastern or Western hemisphere, Northern or Southern hemisphere, and quadrants (North-eastern, North-western, South-eastern and South-western). These three distributions give a general tone in terms of introversion and extraversion, willpower, sociability, and behavioural predispositions.

Then, there are three additional distributions: elements (called triplicity since there are three groups of signs for each one) - Fire, Air, Earth and Water - corresponding to a character typology, modality (or quadruplicity with four groups of signs for each one) - Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable - and polarity (Yin and Yang).

There are three types of dominants: dominant planets, dominant signs and dominant houses. The novice thinks astrology means only "to be Aries" or sometimes, for example, "to be Aries Ascendant Virgo". It is actually far more complex. Although the Sun and the Ascendant alone may reveal a large part of the character - approximately a third or a half of your psychological signature, a person is neither "just the Sun" (called the sign) nor just "the first house" (the Ascendant). Thus, a particular planet's influence may be significantly increased; a particular sign or house may contain a group of planets that will bring nuances and sometimes weaken the role of the Ascendant, of the Sun sign etc.

Lastly, there are two other criteria: accentuations (angular, succedent and cadent) which are a classification of astrological houses and types of decanates that are occupied (each sign is divided into three decanates of ten degrees each). They provide some additional informations.

These general character traits must not be taken literally; they are, somehow, preparing for the chart reading. They allow to understand the second part of the analysis, which is more detailed and precise. It focuses on every area of the personality and provides a synthesis of all the above-mentioned parameters according to sound hierarchical rules.

Warning: when the birth time is unknown, which is the case for Jean-Michel Basquiat, a few paragraphs become irrelevant; distributions in hemispheres and quadrants are meaningless, so are dominant houses and houses' accentuations. Therefore, some chapters are removed from this part.

For all paragraphs, the criteria for valuation are calculated without taking into account angles and rulerships of the Ascendant and of the Midheaven. The methodology retains its validity, but it is less precise without a time of birth.

Elements and Modes for Jean-Michel Basquiat

Like the majority of Earth signs, Jean-Michel Basquiat, you are efficient, concrete and not too emotional. What matters to you is what you see: you judge the tree by its fruits. Your ideas keep changing, words disappear, but actions and their consequences are visible and remain. Express your sensitivity, even if it means revealing your vulnerability. Emotions, energy and communication must not be neglected; concrete action is meaningless if it is not justified by your heart, your intellect or your enthusiasm.

The predominance of Water signs indicates high sensitivity and elevation through feelings, Jean-Michel Basquiat. Your heart and your emotions are your driving forces, and you can't do anything on Earth if you don't feel a strong affective charge (as a matter of fact, the word "feeling" is essential in your psychology). You need to love in order to understand, and to feel in order to take action, which causes a certain vulnerability which you should fight against.

Fire's qualities are not very present in your chart, with only 9.35% instead of the average 25%, which means that you may lack warmth, enthusiasm, conquering spirit, or energy. You may look indifferent to others, with almost no desire, no joy of life or no enterprising ability. Actually, it is not true, but you should let go, force yourself to be more daring, and show your amazement as well as your vitality. You certainly have as much energy as others, you just need to release it, and it is up to you to display more of it, since it will be all to your benefit: shout, sing, pull faces, dance! That's the right mean for you... In the end, you'll never be accused of being sad, phlegmatic or a killjoy!

The twelve zodiacal signs are split up into three groups or modes, called quadruplicities, a learned word meaning only that these three groups include four signs. The Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable modes are more or less represented in your natal chart, depending on planets' positions and importance, and on angles in the twelve signs.

Jean-Michel Basquiat, the Cardinal mode is dominant here and indicates a predisposition to action, and more exactly, to impulsion and to undertake: you are very keen to implement the plans you have in mind, to get things going and to create them. This is the most important aspect that inspires enthusiasm and adrenalin in you, without which you can grow weary rapidly. You are individualistic (maybe too much?) and assertive. You let others strengthen and improve the constructions which you built with fervour.

Dominants: Planets, Signs and Houses for Jean-Michel Basquiat

The issue of dominant planets has existed since the mists of time in astrology: how nice it would be if a person could be described with a few words and one or several planets that would represent their character, without having to analyse such elements as rulerships, angularities, houses, etc!

The ten planets - the Sun throughout Pluto - are a bit like ten characters in a role-play, each one has its own personality, its own way of acting, its own strengths and weaknesses. They actually represent a classification into ten distinct personalities, and astrologers have always tried to associate one or several dominant planets to a natal chart as well as dominant signs and houses.

Indeed, it is quite the same situation with signs and houses. If planets symbolize characters, signs represent hues - the mental, emotional and physical structures of an individual. The sign in which a planet is posited is like a character whose features are modified according to the place where he lives. In a chart, there are usually one, two or three highlighted signs that allow to rapidly describe its owner.

Regarding astrological houses, the principle is even simpler: the twelve houses correspond to twelve fields of life, and planets tenanting any given house increase that house's importance and highlight all relevant life departments: it may be marriage, work, friendship etc.

In your natal chart, Jean-Michel Basquiat, the ten main planets are distributed as follows:

The three most important planets in your chart are Saturn, Pluto and the Moon.

Saturn is part of your dominant planets: among the facets of your character, you have a grave and serious side, wise and somewhat severe, since your concentration can be powerful, to the detriment of carelessness and friendliness.

You often look austere, but it is only an appearance, a kind of modesty or reserve; however, it is true that the Saturnian, who is fond of time, effort, asceticism, rigour and sobriety, may have popularity issues. Nevertheless, honesty and straightforwardness, reliability, as well as slow, wise and deep mental process, although not very popular and visible qualities, eventually become noticed and appreciated. Saturnians' second part of life is usually easier and more fulfilling.

Like the Jupiterian, your Saturnian facet prompts you to seek the essential, security, and longevity. However, the difference with the former is that you will never give priority to wealth or "the bigger, the better" philosophy for the sake of power. Saturn, like Jupiter, symbolizes social integration, and it is usually considered positive to have a harmonic Jupiter and Saturn in one's chart because of their social adaptation capacities.

Your vulnerability lies in your too serious and austere side, which may lead to unwanted loneliness and affective frustration. This generally does not last because Saturnians often hide deep down a golden heart that ends up revealing itself...

With Pluto as a dominant planet in your chart, you are a magnetic and mighty predator, like the Scorpio sign ruled by this planet, who needs to exert pressure on others in order to "test" them. You are always ready to evolve, to risk destruction for reconstruction - including your own - to live more intensely whilst imposing your secret authority on things and on people you encounter.

You may come across as wicked, cruel or too authoritarian, but actually you only follow your instinct, you sound people out, and you like to exert your domination simply because your vital energy is too powerful to remain inside. You are inclined to be passionate, with hidden motivations. You are sometimes misunderstood but one of your great Plutonian assets is to go successfully through each life ordeal with ever growing strength.

The Moon is one of the most important planets in your chart and endows you with a receptive, emotive, and imaginative nature. You have an innate ability to instinctively absorb atmospheres and impressions that nurture you, and as a result, you are often dreaming your life away rather than actually living it.

One of the consequences of your spontaneity may turn into popularity, or even fame: the crowd is a living and complex entity, and it always appreciates truth and sincerity rather than calculation and total self-control.

As a Lunar character, you find it difficult to control yourself, you have to deal with your moods, and you must be careful not to stay passive in front of events: nothing is handed on a plate, and although your sensitivity is rich, even richer than most people's, you must make a move and spare some of your energy for... action!

In your natal chart, the three most important signs - according to criteria mentioned above - are in decreasing order of strength Capricorn, Pisces and Cancer. In general, these signs are important because your Ascendant or your Sun is located there. But this is not always the case: there may be a cluster of planets, or a planet may be near an angle other than the Midheaven or Ascendant. It may also be because two or three planets are considered to be very active because they form numerous aspects from these signs.

Thus, you display some of the three signs' characteristics, a bit like a superposition of features on the rest of your chart, and it is all the more so if the sign is emphasized.

Capricorn is one of your dominant signs and endows you with a grave and serious style that seems to stick to you constantly. But if you have that reserved and cold side - as some extrovert people may think - on the other hand, you possess sturdy qualities: you are strong-willed and tough. Your long-term vision, your sense of duty, and your ambition are not affected by the derisory and erratic motions that seem to upset most mortals less steady than you. Besides, you are like a good wine, you age well and your natural solemnity or serious side paradoxically turns into an almost cheerful appearance, as you grow older. You are actually very sensitive when it comes to love. Faithful, caring, sweet, and sensitive, your behaviour is very different in your everyday, sentimental life. A golden heart beats under your tough and austere appearance...

Pisces is among your dominant signs and endows your personality with unlimited sources of emotions, dreams, imagination, and sensitivity, to the extent that you literally swim in a cloudy ocean of delightful impressions. These impressions are so intense and overwhelming that you don't really need to take action concretely, to show your dynamism or your willpower, since you already live so intensely with your feelings - you are as keen as a radar, always on the alert! That is why some people may not like your carelessness, and the lack of clarity in your opinions or actions; however they quickly notice your artistic talents, your poetic or artistic side, and your total lack of wickedness. Besides, you feel compassion for people in pain - empathy is one of your great qualities. Thanks to your flexibility, your intuition, and your generosity, you may spend an important part of your life helping others. And if you are creative or if you have well-known artistic talents, everybody will forgive your little flaws: absent-mindedness, lack of energy or of will, too dreamy temperament...

Cancer is one of your dominant signs and endows you with imagination and exceptionally shrewd sensitivity. Although suspicious at first sight - and even at second...- as soon as you get familiar with people and let them win your confidence, your golden heart eventually shows up, despite your discretion and your desire for security that make you return into your shell at the slightest alert! Actually, you are a poet and if you are sometimes blamed for your nostalgia and your laziness, it is because your intense inner life is at full throttle...

After this paragraph about dominant planets, of Jean-Michel Basquiat, here are the character traits that you must read more carefully than the previous texts since they are very specific: the texts about dominant planets only give background information about the personality and remain quite general: they emphasize or, on the contrary, mitigate different particularities or facets of a personality. A human being is a complex whole and only bodies of texts can attempt to successfully figure out all the finer points.

The Moon in Pisces: his sensitivity

Vous êtes d'une sensibilité à fleur de peau Jean-Michel Basquiat, et vos émotions sont si profondes, votre imagination si vive que vous êtes pour ainsi dire souvent dans votre monde délicieux de rêves où, votre imagination aidant, vous vous créez tout un univers fantasmatique bien à vous qui enchevêtre bribes de réalité présente, souvenirs romantiques ou espoirs cachés. Parfois même, votre réceptivité est si intense que vous pouvez faire preuve de médiumnité ou, ce qui est plus gênant mais aussi extrêmement rare, avoir des hallucinations. Votre caractère fluctue au gré des stimulations que vous rencontrez mais vous êtes en général une bonne âme, pleine de douceur et de romantisme, toujours prête à comprendre votre prochain et à vous dévouer pour lui. Vous avez des dons certains pour guérir les gens, ne serait-ce que par votre talent pour comprendre d'instinct la souffrance d'autrui. Forcément, avec cette sorte de radar ambulant que constitue votre charpente affective, vous êtes vulnérable, sensible au moindre choc, influençable aussi car incapable de prendre du vrai recul avec les gens ou les évènements ; ainsi vous pouvez parfois vous mettre à douter et perdre un peu la confiance qui est en vous et qui est pourtant si nécessaire pour avancer.

Mercury in Sagittarius: his intellect and social life

Votre soif d'apprendre est considérable Jean-Michel Basquiat et vous pouvez passer votre vie à étudier, notamment les langues, la géographie, la philosophie ou le droit. D'une grande ouverture d'esprit, vous souhaitez abolir les frontières quelles qu'elles soient et l'humaniste qui sommeille en vous pourra alors devenir un "grand voyageur" allant au-devant des autres pour apprendre à les connaître et communiquer avec eux. Vous exprimez avec franchise et clarté vos opinions et croyances et accueillez celles d'autrui avec enthousiasme. Du fait de vos nombreux centres d'intérêts, vous pourrez parfois être perçu comme quelqu'un de superficiel, insouciant et excessivement optimiste. Mais si vous parvenez à maîtriser cette tendance à la dispersion, toutes les rencontres et découvertes que vous aurez pu faire influeront positivement sur votre attitude et votre conception philosophique de la vie.

Venus in Aquarius and the Sun in Capricorn: his affectivity and seductiveness

Dans votre thème, le Soleil est en Capricorne, Vénus en Verseau. Configuration choc que celle-ci, opposant deux idéalismes affectifs : pour le Capricorne, l'amour se construit, se protège, se perpétue... Pour la Vénus Verseau, l'amour est en devenir, le désir vient de la promesse d'une future émotion. Traditionnellement, on accorde à cette configuration un caractère cérébral. Les élans du coeur ne sont que l'un des aspects d'une relation épanouie. Comptent aussi les aspirations intellectuelles, les échanges fraternels, le fait de se sentir en étroite communion. Equilibre fragile, certes, mais exaltant... La Vénus Verseau interdit de figer une relation que le Soleil en Capricorne s'évertue à protéger. Ce qui semblait digéré une fois pour toutes est à ré-inventer. Les deux Signes se complètent, ou se heurtent : car il se pourrait que vos désirs contrarient vos desseins et bousculent vos conceptions. Ou bien les valeurs Capricorne l'emportent et interdisent l'inattendu (mais qui vous séduit alors ?). Ou la Vénus Verseau, sensible au charme de perspectives neuves, malmène le monde structuré du Soleil Capricorne. Votre équilibre affectif passe par le défi. Car les deux Signes en présence peuvent trouver leur compte dans une certaine quête de l'absolu affectif (les mauvaises langues ou les ignorants disent l'inaccessible). On vous qualifie sans doute d'idéaliste à juste titre. Mais quoi de plus beau qu'un idéal ?

Beaucoup plus cérébral et amical que vraiment passionné dans le domaine amoureux, vous êtes, Jean-Michel Basquiat, plutôt fait pour l'amitié amoureuse, les sentiments fins et légers où chacun garde sa liberté et peut-être presque un détachement et une absence d'implication réelle. Parfois, vous pouvez rester un certain temps distant et absolument indifférent aux affaires de coeur, complètement mobilisé par vos activités intellectuelles originales ou vos projets humanitaires dans une ambiance collective que vous affectionnez tant. Vous substituez ainsi à la relation amoureuse un grand nombre de contacts amicaux et légers et il faut dire que souvent, cela vous suffit. Pour que vous tombiez amoureux, vous avez besoin d'un peu de piment, une dose de surprise et d'admiration pour l'originalité de votre partenaire ; à ces conditions, vous pouvez fort bien exprimer vos sentiments et les vivre pleinement dans une ambiance sans contraintes ou le respect de la liberté est parfaitement partagé dans votre couple.

The Sun in Capricorn: his will and inner motivations

Mars in Cancer: his ability to take action

Plus sensible que vous est difficile, Jean-Michel Basquiat, ce qui fait que vous pouvez souvent contenir une certaine agressivité que vous aurez en général du mal à extérioriser. Vous êtes habituellement plutôt passif et votre force tient davantage de l'inertie et de la résistance que du déploiement vers l'action. Vous êtes d'humeur changeante et comme vous ne montrez que peu de choses de vous, vous surprenez en réagissant à contre-temps, si tardivement alors que les autres n'ont plus le souvenir de ce qui vous avait troublé à l'origine. Le seul domaine où vous pouvez avec bonheur exprimer toute votre ardeur ou votre action est celui de votre foyer ou, dans un sens plus symbolique, dans le domaine que vous avez sécurisé auparavant : en d'autres mots, vous avez besoin de confiance pour agir, dans le domaine concret aussi bien que celui de votre sexualité.

Conclusion

This text is only an excerpt from the portrait of of Jean-Michel Basquiat, which we hope will inspire you to deepen your knowledge of astrology.

Since the birth time is unknown,, these portrait excerpts do not take into account the parameters derived from the time, which means, the domification (Ascendant, astrological houses, etc.). Nonetheless, these analyses remain accurate in any case.

Regarding the sources of the birth data in our possession, kindly note that the pages we publish constitute a starting point for more detailed research, even though they seem useful to us. When the sources are contradictory, which occurs rarely, after having analysed them, we choose the most reliable one. Sometimes, we publish a birth date just because it is made available, but we do not claim that is it the best one, by no means.