Jean-Michel Basquiat
"LIGAMENTS OF THE ELBOW" PLATE FROM THE ANATOMY SERIES", 1984
Print on Arches paper
30 x 22 ins 76.2 x 55.88 cm
Available at VFA
I cross out words so you will see them more….the fact that they are obscured makes you want to read them. - Jean-Michel Basquiat
The big art market news, as you probably already know, was the prices garnered for the works of Jean-Michel Basquiat at the leading auction houses’ Spring Sales.
An Untitled, 1984 work that David Bowie bought for $93,000 in 1995, sold at Phillips for $6.5 million. Sotheby’s sold an Untitled, 1981 oil stick on paper drawing, for $16.4 million. Christie’s sold Basquiat’s Baby Boom, 1982 for $23.4 million.
Basquiat was very prolific until his death, in 1988, of a heroin overdose, at the age of 27.
Basquiat was born and raised in Brooklyn. His mother, Matilda, took him to museums around the city and encouraged him to draw when he was very young. He was hit by a car when he was eight and had his spleen removed. While he was in the hospital, his mother gave him a copy of Grey’s Anatomy to help him understand what his body was experiencing and, hopefully, appreciate the illustrations by Henry Vandyke Carter. The book had a profound influence of Basquiat, who included human anatomy in much of his work, like Ligaments of the Elbow, 1984, available at VFA.
When Matilda was diagnosed with mental illness and hospitalized, Basquiat left home. He and his father did not get along. Basquiat slept in the homes of friends and lived on the street at times.
His becoming part of the late 1970s club and art scene eventually got him recognition as a talented artist. He was dedicated to his art but also, sadly, to drugs. “I had some money. I made the best paintings ever.” he said. “I was completely reclusive, worked a lot, took a lot of drugs. I was awful to people.”
In 1996, artist Julian Schnabel made a film about Basquiat. This year the film was remastered in black and white. The film stars Jeffrey Wright as Basquiat and David Bowie as Andy Warhol. Also included in the incredible cast are Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Parker Posey, Courtney Love, Tatum O’Neal, Benicio del Toro and Michael Wincott.
The film has been praised for Wright’s portrayal of Basquiat. It has also been criticized for the way in which Schnabel inserted himself into the film as the fictional character Albert Milo and for omitting Basquiat’s friends from his graffiti and street life.
Since Schnabel’s film has been made, the BBC and others have documented Basquiat’s life in film and several books have been written about him.
Jean-Michel Basquia, and his works, continues to fascinate and enrich the art world.
References:
Michael Gonzales. 4 the So-Called Avant-Garde: The Life and Afterlife of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Crime Reads. July 19, 2025.
Ekathimerini. Jean-Michel Basquiat: Untitled | Athens | To August 2. June 19. 2025.
Okwui Enwezor. Basquiat. Frieze Magazine. January 2, 1997.
