Everyone’s favorite Material Girl received a sweet gift from her manager ahead of her 66th birthday next week, which featured a throwback to her romance with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Madonna took to Instagram to gush about the thoughtful gift, which was a framed photo of the singer alongside Jean-Michel, graffiti artist Futura 2000, and friend Easy Gee.
"I can’t imagine a better way to start my Birthday Month!" she wrote in the caption. "Thank you - @guyoseary for this beautiful souvenir of myself with Basquiat Futura 2000 and Easy Gee at the Fun Gallery in 1983."
"There will never be another time like this. NYC was at the epicenter of everything exciting!!"
The 'Like A Prayer' singer looked effortlessly cool in the photo, sporting her signature 80s style with a grunge edge to the look.
"The Fun gallery was where it all happened!" she continued in the caption. "Keith Haring’s paintings adorned the walls. And young artists and musicians were always welcome."
© InstagramKeith Haring was an artist and friend of both Madonna and Jean-Michel; he was a proponent of the New York graffiti subculture in the 80s.
She continued, "This was a time when art, music and culture were side by side, hand in hand. When artists supported one another. So grateful to have experienced this moment in Time".
The iconic photo was taken just months before her self-titled debut album would become a smash hit, featuring tracks like 'Holiday' and 'Lucky Star'.
© Rose HartmanJean-Michel had his arm around his former girlfriend in the picture, sporting a leather jacket and a baseball jersey, along with a wide grin.
Madonna and Jean-Michel dated for a short time between 1982 and 1983 and even lived together before they reportedly split due to his drug addiction.
Although the mother of six has largely kept quiet on the details of their romance, she opened up to Interview in 2014 about his artistry.
© Michael Putland"I remember getting up in the middle of the night, and he wouldn’t be in bed lying next to me; he’d be standing, painting, at four in the morning, this close to the canvas, in a trance. I was blown away by that, that he worked when he felt moved."
Sadly, he passed away in 1988 after a heroin overdose; he is now considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, despite only living to his 27th birthday.
Madonna revealed the extent of his addiction to Howard Stern in 2015 , explaining, "He wouldn’t stop doing heroin. He was an amazing man and deeply talented; I loved him."
She continued, "When I broke up with him, he made me give [the paintings he gave me] back to him. And then he painted over them black."
Madonna’s love life has been subject to intense scrutiny throughout her career. She has dated everyone from Warren Beatty to Vanilla Ice and was married to actor Sean Penn from 1985 to 1989, followed by Guy Ritchie from 2000 to 2008.
