Basquiat – on paper

Artists

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Press release

Louisiana presents 'Headstrong – Basquiat on Paper', a major solo presentation of works on paper by legendary American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988). Set to be the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the artist's depictions of the human head, an integral subject within his oeuvre, though a subject heretofore overlooked. Between 1981 and 1983, Jean-Michel Basquiat produced many of his most compelling and challenging works in which the subject matter is the human head. Many of the artist’s head studies have been interpreted as masked figures – reminiscent of African art and symbolism – rather than living beings. This conclusion stems from the somewhat generalized way in which the facial features have been rendered. When the subject matter was the human head, Basquiat was drawn as much to what existed underneath the features as he was to the surface. Basquiat approached the head as more than just a physical form; for him, it functioned as a threshold between outer appearance and the inner psychological and mental aspects of human existence. This exhibition provides a long-overdue institutional reassessment of Basquiat’s works on paper through a thematic lens. Basquiat’s drawings outnumber his production of paintings and objects and were a recurring exploration of the artist’s vision — making them central to his artistic practice. Many of these artworks stand out in the canon of twentieth-century drawing because of two distinct features: first, their ambition in scale, and second, their vivid and rich use of colored oil sticks, which imbued these works with a unique visual gravitas. Their mastery and rarity challenge any expectations of the medium — a distinguishable quality observed throughout Basquiat’s production, first seen in his New York street art interventions and later in painting. ‘Headstrong – Basquiat on Paper’ will be history making, bringing together for the first time – with loans from collectors around the world – many of his most important head images. They will be exhibited at the Louisiana alongside several key additional works, complimenting and showcasing the strength and scope of this body of work. An illustrated publication with newly commissioned research will accompany the exhibition.