This exhibition brought together major paintings from throughout Jean-Michel Basquiat’s brief career, and was the first solo showing of his work in a public gallery in Britain since his death.
The exhibition began with paintings from 1981 through to those completed shortly before Basquiat died in 1988.
Each painting offered insight into the germination and evolution of the various subjects and techniques Basquiat explored. Primarily concerned with American culture, Basquiat was fascinated by cartoons, technology and consumerism. He reflected a determined exploration of what it was to be a black American male in the 1980s.
From the architectural Pavilion and digital commissions to the ideas Marathons and research-led initiatives, explore our past projects and exhibitions.
