Angelina Jolie rents Jean-Michel Basquiat's apartment in New York.

The very popular actress Angelina Jolie has rented the apartment-studio where Jean-Michel Basquiat worked: the property, located in New York at 57 Great Jones Street, had been put up for rent by the real estate agency Meridian Capital Group (cost of rent: $60,000 per month), which confirmed the deal in recent hours. Angelina Jolie also confirmed it, posting a message on the website of Atelier Jolie, her fashion brand: the apartment where Basquiat lived and worked, often collaborating there also with Andy Warhol, will, in fact, become a headquarters for the brand. The lease will last eight years.

The space is just over 600 square meters spread over three floors. The facade is very recognizable, since it is entirely decorated with street art and graffiti works , which, however, will not be removed by Angelina Jolie: in fact, they will be maintained as a tribute to Jean-Michel Basquiat, who began his career precisely as a graffiti artist, a member of the SAMO duo. Basquiat, moreover, rented the second floor of the very apartment to Andy Warhol shortly after the two met. Warhol had also previously owned the property, which dates back to the 1860s. It had recently become home to a Japanese restaurant.

The Atelier Jolie project is a fashion brand but at the same time a community of creative people from all backgrounds: “a place,” the website says, “where creative people can collaborate with an experienced and diverse family of skilled tailors, pattern makers and artisans from around the world. A place to have fun. To create your designs with freedom. To discover yourself. [...] We will bring together a diverse team, including refugee apprenticeships and other talented and undervalued groups, with decent skill-based positions. And as we work with global artisans and makers, we hope to help share the richness of their cultural heritage and support the development of their businesses.”

“It is a privilege to be in this space,” Angelina Jolie comments about the brand’s new headquarters. “We will do our best to respect and honor its artistic heritage with community and creativity. I hope to see you here. For those who cannot join us in New York City, we are planning an online community and destination to create with us.”

Pictured: the facade of Basquiat’s apartment-studio. Photo: Sylvester Zawedzki/Meridian Capitol Group

Angelina Jolie rents Jean-Michel Basquiat's apartment in New York.

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.