Take a close look at the signs, symbols, and scribbles of Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose paintings still retain the same freshness
and relevance as they did in 1980s New York. This XXL-format monograph gathers exquisite reproductions of his
most outstanding works, accompanied by texts from editor Hans Werner Holzwarth and curator and art historian
Eleanor Nairne. The definitive portrait of an artist whose legend remains alive, an emblem of 1980s New York.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) first burst onto the New York art scene under the alias SAMO,
when he sprayed sarcastic comments and fragmented poems on the city’s walls. As that underground scene,
marked by street art, hip-hop, and post-punk, made its way into more established circuits,
Basquiat made the leap to galleries.
Moving from painting on walls to canvas, Basquiat found a language of great expressive power,
where text and image, historical references, and critique of his time naturally intertwine. His paintings read like
diaries because the subjects deeply concerned him. Often political, they reflect his experiences as a Black artist in a
scene highly aware of status. Inspired by jazz stars, great boxers, or basketball players, he answered
when asked about his themes: “Kings, heroism, and the street.”
His success was dazzling: by 1981 he was already in New York’s top galleries and, shortly after, his name was known
worldwide. In 1983 he began collaborating with Andy Warhol, and in 1985 he appeared on the cover of
The New York Times Magazine. That intensity came at a cost: at just 27 years old, Basquiat died of an overdose.
He left a body of work that has not lost its freshness, spontaneity, and power to this day.
After numerous exhibition catalogs and memoirs, this large-format monograph allows for an in-depth study of his works with magnificent
detailed reproductions. The extensive image catalog is complemented by an introduction from editor Hans Werner Holzwarth
and an essay by curator Eleanor Nairne on his themes and artistic evolution.
