Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) first emerged on the New York art scene under the tag name SAMO, spraying sarcastic commentaries and fragmented poems on the city's walls. As this underground scene, characterized by street art, hip-hop, and post-punk, penetrated increasingly mainstream circles, Basquiat also made the leap into the galleries.

By painting on canvases instead of scribbling on walls, Basquiat found an expressive A style in which text and image, historical references and contemporary criticism formed an astonishing connection . His paintings read like diaries, as their themes were always close to his heart. They were often political and reflected his Experiences as a Black artist in a status-conscious scene . Inspired by jazz stars, great boxers, and basketball players, his answer to the question about his themes was "kings, heroism, and the streets."

Success followed quickly: By 1981, Basquiat was represented in the most important New York galleries and soon after, he became a household name worldwide. In 1983, he began Andy Warhol to work together, in 1985 he was on the cover of New York Times Magazine But this tour de force took its toll: at the age of 27, Basquiat died of a drug overdose. He left behind a portfolio of works that have lost none of their freshness, spontaneity and power to this day .

After numerous exhibition catalogues and memoirs, this large-format Basquiat monograph the opportunity to study Basquiat's works in detail in outstanding reproductions. The comprehensive catalogue is accompanied by an introduction by the editor Hans Werner Holzwarth about the artist and an essay by the curator Eleanor Nairne about his themes and artistic development.