Jean-Michel Basquiat

Discover the extraordinary artistic legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose multimedia creations encompass a wide range of forms, from sculptural collage to expansive canvases. Basquiat's works have achieved global recognition and are celebrated as some of the most iconic in the art world.

Emerging onto the scene as one half of the renowned street-art duo SAMO in the late 1970s, Basquiat quickly garnered a cult following. He later embarked on a solo journey, refining a distinctive style characterized by compulsive scribbles, enigmatic diagrams, and cryptic symbols.

While Basquiat drew inspiration from diverse sources, his Caribbean heritage held a particular significance in shaping his artistic vision. In 1980, he made his first sale, with Debbie Harry purchasing one of his paintings for $200. Notably, Basquiat's auction record stands at an astounding $110.5 million, achieved in May 2017.

Explore our collection of Basquiat art and immerse yourself in the captivating world of this extraordinary artist.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Biography

As one of art history’s most iconic figures, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s multimedia works – which range from sculptural collage to large-scale canvases – are some of the most widely recognised in the world.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1960, Basquiat achieved cult fame as one half of street-art duo SAMO in the late 1970s. As a solo artist, he rose to the forefront of the New York art scene alongside other leading artists and collaborators, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.
Basquiat honed a signature style characterised by obsessive scribbling, obscure diagrams and mysterious symbols, including the crown, the snake and the skull. Although his sources were eclectic, Basquiat found particular inspiration in his Caribbean heritage; his father was Haitian and mother of Puerto Rican descent.
Basquiat’s first painting was bought by Blondie lead singer, Debbie Harry, for $200 in 1980, which stands in stark contrast with his current auction record of $110.5 million set in May 2017 for his Untitled painting of a skull from 1982. A highly celebrated artist in his time, Basquiat has recently been the subject of several major retrospectives, including at the Barbican Centre, London (2017), the Brant Foundation and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (both in 2019), and at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2021).