An original acrylic/oil and organic pigments on postcard by beloved Neo-expressionist artist, Basquiat. Dated 84 on verso. The subject matter is Basquiat’s iconic skull imagery. A major influence for Basquiat throughout his career was the book Gray’s Anatomy, which was given to him at that age of 7 from his mother. Head and skulls are a common theme in Basquiat’s imagery, which are often reminiscent to African masks, drawing a connection to his race and culture. This is a strong example of Basquiat’s signature style. Basquiat often sold his postcards in SoHo. During this time, he met Andy Warhol, and Basquiat sold Warhol a postcard titled Stupid Games, Bad Ideas. This meeting ignited a friendship between the two creative minds. This lot comes with documentation from the Authentication Committee of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, which includes a transaction number 07856 (Prov.) Private Sale of G. Basquiat and a signed letter from Gerard Basquiat with the committee stamp. Dimensions: 6h x 4w (unframed) and 11h x 9w (framed). In excellent vintage condition. Provenance: This artwork was part of a seasoned art dealer’s personal collection. By trade this art dealer was a teacher, but in the 1970s he started collecting and selling art as a supplement income. This turned into a successful business, and he traveled the globe internationally with his son sourcing original artworks by famous modern and post-war artists, as well as Asian and African artifacts. The art dealer is now retired and lives outside of Detroit, Michigan. Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) rose to success in the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionist movement. He was in the epicenter of the rap, punk, and hip-hop culture in New York City, and his art paved the way for graffiti and street artists. Basquiat received early critical acclaim and in the early 1980s his art was being exhibited at an international level. At only 22 years old, he was the youngest artist to exhibit at the Whitney Biennial. During his lifetime, his works were shown among artistic greats such as Richter, Twombly, and Warhol. Basquiat tragically passed away at the young age of 27 and following his death The Whitney Museum of American Art held a retrospective of his art in 1992. Since then, he has been featured in countless museums exhibits internationally. Basquiat set an auction record for an American artist with a painting selling at a Sotheby’s auction in 2017 for $110.5 million. Opening this year on April 3rd, the family of Basquiat has curated an art exhibit featuring 200 never-before-seen and rarely shown works in New York City, which further cements his influence and impact as an artistic genius.

6 x 4 in