Art News

Inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat

I don’t think about art when I’m working. I try to think about life. – Jean-Michel Basquiat

In the next few weeks, Christie’s, Philips, and Sotheby’s are all set to auction several pieces of art by internationally-beloved American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who died tragically in 1988 at the age of 27.

During his brief career, which spanned just eight years, Basquiat matured from graffiti artist, tagging his work with his signature “SAMO” and crown motifs, to fully-developed Neo-Expressionist, incorporating text, appropriation, painting, and drawing into a critique of the class and racial struggles plaguing contemporary society.

One of the works up for auction at Sotheby’s is Basquiat’s 1983 Five Fish Species, purportedly a tribute to the artist’s favorite Beat author, William Burroughs.

If you love Basquiat as much as we do, but aren’t prepared to bid millions for him, explore our new collection of original art, Inspired by Basquiat.

Here are a few selections from our Inspired by Basquiat collection:

View the complete collection here.