Print Report Focus: Jean-Michel Basquiat

Prints and editions, often underestimated by the media, are increasingly important in the art world, with a significant number of items sold at auction in the past decade. This market shows great potential, making it an attractive starting point for new collectors. Jean-Michel Basquiat 's art maintains its historical and cultural significance, delving into themes of history, culture, race, language, and popular culture. His distinctive text-based style and imagery lend a lasting quality to his work. Learn more about how his posthumous prints have fetched considerable prices at auctions, often surpassing those of prints from his lifetime, underscoring their allure and market value.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Overview

Jean-Michel Basquiat, born in 1960 to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents, grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Exposed to art early on by his mother, he showed talent from a young age and received encouragement from some of his teachers. Despite dropping out of high school in 1976 and leaving home, Basquiat never pursued formal art education. He made his first public exhibition appearance in June 1980 in a group show held in a vacant Times Square building.

This exhibition featured Basquiat alongside other notable artists of the time such as Keith Haring, Kiki Smith, and Jenny Holzer, marking a significant moment for him. It led to his debut solo exhibition in 1982, catapulting him to fame almost instantly. Critics praised his work, and Basquiat continued to create art for his growing audience until his untimely death in 1988 at the age of 27.

Jean-Michel Basquiat's Posthumous Print Market

Basquiat's art maintains its historical and cultural significance, delving into themes of history, culture, race, language, and popular culture. His distinctive text-based style and imagery lend a lasting quality to his work.

Posthumous prints have fetched considerable prices at auctions, often surpassing those of prints from his lifetime, underscoring their allure and market value.

The scarcity of prints from Basquiat's lifetime appearing on the market—such as "Return of the Central Figure" (1983), which has only been auctioned four times since 2001, and "Tuxedo" (1983), which has only appeared once—coupled with the high auction prices of his lifetime prints, has generated significant demand for his posthumous works.

Case Study: Hollywood Africans

In "Hollywood Africans In Front Of The Chinese Theatre With Footprints Of Movie Stars," Basquiat challenges stereotypes of Black individuals in Hollywood. The piece showcases Basquiat, Toxic, and Ramellzee, collectively known as the Hollywood Africans.

This print is highly sought-after, evidenced by its ownership by Kylie Jenner. It exemplifies the increasing value of Basquiat's work, selling for ￡36,453 in 2015 and ￡151,500 in 2019, marking a remarkable 315% rise over four years.

For more in depth analysis on Jean-Michel Basquiat 's prints, download our latest Print Report Vol. 02 here: https://maddoxgallery.com/art-investment-reports .

Written by Giovana Edid, Maddox Director of Research, Data and Analytics, is a passionate art researcher and analyst with twelve years of experience in the international art investment sector. Her areas of expertise include economic analysis of the marketplace, examination protocols, professional appraisals adhering to provenance due diligence and the USPAP standards.