A breathtaking exhibition of works by Basquiat and Warhol opens in New York
There are many galleries and museums in New York City, all of which are incredibly diverse and beautiful in their own right, but there is something about the Brant Foundation at 421 East 6th Street in the East Village that excites the senses—especially when it displays the work of artists who have lived in the area for many years. According to Timeout, a new exhibition of works by Basquiat x Warhol will open in New York.
The latest exhibition, “Basquiat x Warhol,” presented by the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, celebrates the unique collaboration between Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, two figures who practically defined the art scene in the 1980s.
Tickets for the “Basquiat x Warhol” exhibition, which officially opens on November 1 and runs until January 7, 2024, are now on sale.
You’ll see some iconic works. From “Ten Punching Bags (Last Supper)” to “Felix the Cat,” the new exhibition showcases the wide range of work both artists have worked on over the years.
Interestingly, some of the paintings created by Warhol and Basquiat in the 80s were first presented to the public at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York in 1985. At that time, the exhibition did not receive the desired response in the press, which actually forced the creators to stop collaborating. The new exhibition aims to affirm the strength of their relationship and their creativity, celebrating their long careers as a duo and as singles.
Relationship between Warhol and Basquiat
The artists first met in 1982, when gallery owner Bruno Bischofberger invited Basquiat to Warhol’s famous “Factory”. They took a photo together, and after just a couple of hours, Basquiat created a double portrait, which today became part of the new exhibition.
In 1984, official collaboration between the artists began, as a result of which they created about 160 paintings.
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“Meeting almost every day, the couple worked on several monumental canvases simultaneously, from early morning until evening,” the press release says. “This passionate exchange of energy is reflected in their paintings, which illustrate intense yet complementary work.”
As the artists themselves explained at one time, one of them began work on the canvas and applied his unique iconography to it. The other would then spend some time with it, putting their own recognizable style on it.
“Warhol’s stenciled advertisements and cultural symbols are being replaced by Basquiat’s iconic figures and marks,” the release states. – Newspaper headlines included by Warhol are blacked out and rewritten by Basquiat; scenes painted in Basquiat’s conceptual neo-expressionist style are complemented by Warhol’s precise appropriation of brand logos.”
About the gallery
The Brant Foundation is a private art collection and gallery with two exhibition spaces in the East Village and Greenwich, Connecticut.
The Greenwich museum opened in 2009. The Manhattan Museum debuted about a decade later, in 2019, in a stunning building that was formerly a Consolidated Edison substation.
Artist Walter Der Maria bought the space to use as his studio after ConEd no longer owned it. Brant acquired it after De Maria’s death in 2013 and financed extensive renovations that transformed the building into an ideal venue for small exhibitions with a contemporary twist.