Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Iconic Work

A Comprehensive Collection

Explore the profound impact of Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. This dedicated volume showcases the artist’s most inspired works, bringing together a powerful collection that reflects his engagement with essential sociopolitical issues, including race, police brutality, and structural inequity.

A Return to Basquiat’s East Village Roots

In this important compilation, tied to an exhibition at the Brant Foundation‘s newly opened Manhattan location, Basquiat’s art resonates with its East Village origins for the first time in decades. The neighborhood that inspired him serves as a vital backdrop to understanding his legacy and creative journey.

Curated Insights by Dieter Buchhart

Curated by noted Basquiat scholar Dieter Buchhart, this volume features one hundred of the artist’s most significant works. Buchhart meticulously focuses on key subjects that informed Basquiat’s practice, including jazz, anatomy, sports figures, comics, classical literature, the African diaspora, and art history.

Restaging Iconic Exhibitions

The exhibition included in this volume partially restages three of Basquiat’s critical early shows:

• An exhibition of the artist’s paintings and drawings of heads at Robert Miller Gallery.
• His most celebrated canvases from the Gagosian Gallery‘s 1982 show in Los Angeles.
• Basquiat’s solo show at Fun Gallery in the East Village.

Exploration of Stretcher Bar Paintings

Buchhart also delves into the artist’s unique “stretcher bar paintings,” where the normally concealed wooden supports for stretched canvases are deliberately exposed. This aspect of Basquiat’s work has yet to be extensively explored in scholarly discussions, offering readers fresh insights into the artist’s innovative techniques.

Assessing Basquiat’s Legacy

Through this critical examination, many facets of Basquiat’s work are revealed, emphasizing the enduring importance and influence of his art within contemporary discussions on race, identity, and culture.

The Iconic Work is an essential volume for art enthusiasts, students, and collectors, providing an in-depth look at the life and works of a visionary artist whose impact continues to resonate today.

Book Details:

• Cover: Hardcover
• Weight: 1.5 kg
• Dimensions: 26 cm x 2 cm x 31 cm
• Pages: 192