Basquiat: Of Symbols and Signs

This exhibition at the Albertina Museum in Vienna (until 8 January 2023) is the first retrospective in Austria to explore Jean-Michel Basquiat’s vivid and turbulent oeuvre. After running away from home aged 17, Basquiat quickly became a central player in New York’s vibrant, multicultural art scene, befriending many of the period’s most significant artistic cultural figures from Andy Warhol to Madonna. In 1982, the artist became the youngest-ever participant at Documenta, cementing his name as one the most significant African American artists of his time. Tracing the artist’s roots from graffiti through to pieces produced in the months prior to his death at at the age of 27, the exhibition includes pieces such as La Hara (1981) and Self-Portrait (1983). Find out more from the Albertina’s website.

Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here

Untitled (1982), Jean-Michel Basquiat. Private Collection. Courtesy HomeArt, Hong Kong; © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, licensed by Artesar, New York

Untitled (1982) Jean-Michel Basquiat. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam. Photo: Studio Tromp; © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, licensed by Artesar, New York

La Hara (1981), Jean-Michel Basquiat. Photo: Studio Tromp; courtesy Arora Collection; © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, licensed by Artesar, New York