Next year, the family of Jean-Michel Basquiat will exhibit a collection of private work for the first time ever.
“Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure©” takes its title from a painting the artist made in 1987 that referenced the name of a bartender turned jazz vocalist who would go on to produce a hit track in 1952, titled, “Moody’s Mood For Love.” The show features over 200 rare and never before seen paintings, drawings, multimedia presentations, ephemera, and artifacts that detail Basquiat’s intimate world. Additionally, there will be a recreation of the artist’s Great Jones Street studio and the Michael Todd VIP room that Basquait made several artworks for at the Palladium nightclub.
The renowned architect, Sir David Adjaye OBE will lead the exhibition design of the space, who noted this in a statement:
“The vision for this project — to reclaim the narrative of Basquiat’s life and work and to shed new light on an artist that is only partially understood — aligns deeply with my studio’s mission of using design as a storytelling device. I envision the exhibition as an intimate narrative journey that not only displays his trailblazing career but cultivates his spirit and mission through the eyes and insights of his own family.”
To accompany the exhibition, Rizzoli Electa will release an explorative new book that details the private collection. “Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure©” will be on view at the iconic Starrett-Lehigh Building in New York City starting on April 9, 2022.
In other art-related news, Centre Pompidou is showcasing a large retrospective on legendary Italian designer, Ettore Sottsass.
