Untitled (Head)

Untitled (Head) is a drawing created by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) in 1982. It sold for $15.2 million at Sotheby's in June 2020, becoming Basquiat's most expensive work on paper.[1]

Untitled (Head)
ArtistJean-Michel Basquiat
Year1982
MediumOilstick, ink and acrylic on paper
MovementNeo-Expressionism
Dimensions75.6 cm × 55.9 cm (29.75 in × 22.0 in)

History

Executed in 1982, Untitled (Head) is an outburst of vivid color, bearing echoes to one of Basquiat's most well-known heads Untitled (1981). "Whereas Untitled (1981) presents the viewer with a mask-like visage caught somewhere between life and death, Untitled (Head) (1982) creates an effect that’s somewhat more supernatural because of its evocatively unnatural hues."[2] Reminiscent of an African mask, the drawing was created during a period when Basquiat was being recognized by the establishment for the first time after his "shift from street to studio."[3] Grégoire Billault, Head of Sotheby's Contemporary Art Department in New York, said in a statement, "Untitled (Head) encapsulates the very best of Basquiat’s brilliant career. There is a sense of urgency and immediacy in this painting that is truly exceptional—a prescient work that captures and defines 1980s New York, demonstrating the young artist’s profound psychological awareness."[2]

Heads and skulls are some of Basquiat's most sought after works.[4] Art historian Fred Hoffman analyzed the use of heads as a motif in Basquiat's oeuvre: "What drew Basquiat almost obsessively to the depiction of the human head was his fascination with the face as a passageway from exterior physical presence into the hidden realities of man’s psychological and mental realms…they not only peer out as if seeing, but also invite the viewer to penetrate within."[5]

In June 2020, the painting sold for $15.2 at Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening Auction, an new auction record for a Basquiat work on paper. It was also the Sotheby's highest price ever for a work sold to an online bidder.[6]

Exhibitions

The painting has been exhibited at the flowing art institutions:

See also

References
  1. Villa, Angelica (July 3, 2020). "Mitchell, Basquiat Top $41 M. Phillips Contemporary Evening Sale, Thirst for Young Artists Brings New Records". ARTnews. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  2. Holmes, Helen (June 17, 2020). "Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Untitled (Head)' Expected to Sell for $12 Million". Observer. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  3. Gotthardt, Alexxa (April 1, 2018). "What Makes 1982 Basquiat's Most Valuable Year". Artsy. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  4. Lee, Shannon (July 9, 2020). "Why Basquiat's Heads Are His Most Sought-After Works". Artsy. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  5. "A Masterpiece 'Head' on Paper by Jean-Michel Basquiat To Highlight Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening Auction In New York on 29 June". Sotheby's. June 15, 2020.
  6. Tully, Kathryn (June 30, 2020). "With Sotheby's $363.2 Million Sale, Art Market Passes First Major Test Of Pandemic". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  7. "Jean-Michel Basquiat | Untitled (Head)". Sotheby's.
  8. "200 BPM: The Jean Michel Basquiat Head". Sotheby's. June 26, 2020.
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