Tony Shafrazi * Bruno Bischofberger present Warhol * Basquiat Paintings, September 14 through October 19, 1985
Basquiat, Jean-Michel & Andy Warhol
New York. Tony Shafrazi Gallery. 1985
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Original exhibition poster from this important gallery show featuring the now-iconic image of Warhol and Basquiat posing as boxers, designed as though advertising a bout. The show displayed the collaborative paintings Warhol and Basquiat worked on from 1984-1985. These works were the culmination of their friendship, one which began awkwardly in the late 70's with the younger artist breathlessly hawking his postcard paintings to his idol.By 1983 through the intercession of Page Powell (Basquiat's lover and Warhol's friend) and Bruno Bischofberger (Warhol's Swiss dealer) the two artists developed a friendship. During this time, Basquiat makes frequent appearances in Warhol's diaries: travelling, exercising, and attending parties together. Eventually, the two began work on the paintings that would constitute the bulk of this exhibition.
It was Bischofberger who arranged for the works to be shown at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York. Shafrazi had once been a graffiti artist himself, achieving his moment of notoriety in 1974 as the man who sprayed the foot-high words Kill Lies All on Picasso's Guernica.
But the process was not without conflict. Warhol, whose work ethic was legendary, grew frustrated with Basquiat's erratic appearances and the two worked very little on these paintings at the same time. The show was a financial and critical failure and marked the end of their friendship.
The poster however, remains one of the most poignant and enduring images of the 1980's NY art scene, stylising the artistic partnership into a prize fight, with Warhol and Basquiat standing shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed, wearing boxing gloves and Everlast shorts.
This copy signed by Basquiat in black pen.
It was Bischofberger who arranged for the works to be shown at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York. Shafrazi had once been a graffiti artist himself, achieving his moment of notoriety in 1974 as the man who sprayed the foot-high words Kill Lies All on Picasso's Guernica.
But the process was not without conflict. Warhol, whose work ethic was legendary, grew frustrated with Basquiat's erratic appearances and the two worked very little on these paintings at the same time. The show was a financial and critical failure and marked the end of their friendship.
The poster however, remains one of the most poignant and enduring images of the 1980's NY art scene, stylising the artistic partnership into a prize fight, with Warhol and Basquiat standing shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed, wearing boxing gloves and Everlast shorts.
This copy signed by Basquiat in black pen.
Colour offset lithograph poster (48.5 x 30.5 cm).
#43989
