In this work, Basquiat's characteristic motifs and images cut deeply into themes of exploitation and parasitism, while critically depicting how individuals, cultures, and societies deprive others of resources and vitality. In addition, Basquiat's distinctive style of blending text and icons may be thought of as a metaphor for the leech-like exploitation of the right in economic, cultural, and political terms, as in the title "Leeches" (leeches).
