Jean-Michel Basquiat
1960-1988 · American · Neo-expressionism
Biography
Jean-Michel Basquiat, born in Brooklyn to a Haitian father and Puerto Rican mother, first gained attention for the SAMO graffiti tags in lower Manhattan. Between 1981 and 1983 he produced an explosive body of paintings mixing crowns, skulls, words, anatomy, Black history and art history, then collaborated with Andy Warhol. He died of an overdose at 27, leaving a career of about eight years. Basquiat is one of the most expensive artists at auction, with a 110.5 million dollar record set in 2017 and a broad collector base from New York to Tokyo and Hong Kong. Masterpieces from 1981 to 1984 are the core, while drawings on paper and the 1982 Anatomy prints provide a wider entry level.
Recent auction results
| Ancient Scientist (1984)Christie's, Hong Kong | $9.81M | Sep 29, 2026 | heni.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos (1982)Christie's, New York | $6.54M | May 20, 2026 | heni.com |
| Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown) (1983)Sotheby's, New York | $52.72M | May 14, 2026 | heni.com |
| Crowns (Peso Neto) (1981)Sotheby's, New York | $48.34M | Nov 18, 2025 | heni.com |
| Untitled (1981)Sotheby's, New York | $16.36M | May 15, 2025 | heni.com |
| Baby Boom (1982)Christie's, New York | $23.41M | May 14, 2025 | heni.com |
Market
- Liquidity: High
Museums
- The Broad, Los Angeles
- Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Sources
- WUNC/NPR, Basquiat a 110,5 milioni
- HENI News, Museum Security
- HENI News, Sotheby's novembre 2025
- Withers, risultati aste New York novembre 2025
- HENI News, profilo Jean-Michel Basquiat
Follow the artists and receive alerts in the Unicorn Art Watch app.
Investing involves the risk of losing capital.
© Unicorn Private LLC · Unicorn Private Research