Film
The Bittersweet Nostalgia of Watching Basquiat in Downtown 81
A time capsule that holds the legendary artist in immortal youth, the cult classic also preserves a certain New York, which has now changed beyond recognition.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Books
The Cult of Jean-Michel Basquiat
What happens when an artist's mythologized life distracts from his work?
Art
In a Biting Letter to Basquiat in 1981, Edith Schloss Dragged the NYC Art Scene
Read this 3,700-word, hyper-critical letter discussing the work of Philip Guston, Anselm Kiefer, Nell Blaine, Bill King, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, and several others: "Everyone seems to be proud of having no go, no oomph."
Art
No One Owns Basquiat, Not Even Peter Brant
Brant has cogently influenced the legacy of Basquiat on several fronts, but the artist and his work remain gloriously defiant.
Film
A Documentary on Basquiat's Teen Years Tracks a Star's Early Ascent
Sara Driver's new documentary Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat wants to bring the young art star back down to earth, but often can't help positioning hovering him above.
Art
Seeing Beyond Basquiat's Market Value
With Basquiat’s work transformed into an overhyped commodity, it can seem difficult to assess it for ourselves.
News
Billionaire Loans $110M Basquiat to the Brooklyn Museum
The painting will feature in the museum's One Basquiat exhibition, January 26–March 11.
In Brief
New Banksy Murals Pay Homage to Basquiat
The two murals in central London appeared just before the opening of a major Basquiat exhibition at the Barbican Centre.
In Brief
Construction Workers Uncover Possible Basquiat Tag on Megacollector’s Building
A line of text that appears to be original graffiti by the duo SAMO was found on a Lower Manhattan building owned by developer Aby Rosen.
News
Basquiat Painting Sells for $110.5 Million, Becoming Most Expensive Work by US Artist at Auction
The Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezaw who bought the 1982 painting last night at Sotheby's New York posted multiple images of himself posing with his treasure on Twitter and Instagram.
Art
Serenity and a Few Surprises at the TEFAF New York Spring Fair
There's something confident about this old-school European fair — the exhibitors let the game come to them.
News
Gavel Gavel, Your Art's a Success: David Bowie’s Collection Heads to Auction
We've heard his music and seen his own artworks, but the personal art collection of David Bowie has remained largely hidden from the public eye.