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Jean-Michel Basquiat. 40th Ed.

30
Availability: In Stock
A condensed edition of the best-selling Basquiat monograph. Pristine reproductions of Basquiat’s seminal paintings, drawings, and notebook sketches, as well as texts by editor Hans Werner Holzwarth and curator and art historian Eleanor Nairne, bring us up close and personal to a legend synonymous with 1980s New York.
Hardcover6.1 x 8.5 in.2.45 lb512 pages
“I don’t think about art when I’m working. I try to think about life.”
Jean-Michel Basquiat

“The most complete monograph on Basquiat that exists.”

El País
“A must have... Exceptional reproductions of his most important paintings, drawings and sketches, to be shared with lovers of Basquiat’s raw art.”
vogue.com

“A cult object composed of exceptional reproductions of Basquiat's most important paintings, drawings, and sketches.”

Vogue
Jean-Michel Basquiat. 40th Ed.

Jean-Michel Basquiat. 40th Ed.

30

Brilliant Basquiat

An unprecedented insight into Basquiat’s art and work

The legend of Jean-Michel Basquiat is as strong as ever. Synonymous with 1980s New York, the artist first appeared in the late 1970s under the tag SAMO, spraying caustic comments and fragmented poems on the walls of the city. He appeared as part of a thriving underground scene of visual arts and graffiti, hip hop, post-punk, and DIY filmmaking, which met in a booming art world. As a painter with a strong personal voice, Basquiat soon broke into the established milieu, exhibiting in galleries around the world.

Basquiat’s expressive style was based on raw figures and integrated words and phrases. His work is inspired by a pantheon of luminaries from jazz, boxing, and basketball, with references to arcane history and the politics of street life—so when asked about his subject matter, Basquiat answered “royalty, heroism and the streets.” In 1983 he started collaborating with the most famous of art stars, Andy Warhol, and in 1985 was on the cover of The New York Times Magazine. When Basquiat died at the age of 27, he had become one of the most successful artists of his time.

First published in an XXL edition, this unprecedented insight into Basquiat’s art is now available in a compact, accessible volume in celebration of TASCHEN’s 40th anniversary. With pristine reproductions of his most seminal paintings, drawings, and notebook sketches, it offers vivid proximity to Basquiat’s intricate marks and scribbled words, further illuminated by an introduction to the artist from editor Hans Werner Holzwarth, as well as an essay on his themes and artistic development from curator and art historian Eleanor Nairne. Richly illustrated year-by-year chapter breaks follow the artist’s life and quote from his own statements and contemporary reviews to provide both personal background and historical context.
The editor

Hans Werner Holzwarth is a book designer and editor specializing in contemporary art and photography. His TASCHEN publications include the Collector’s Editions Jeff Koons, Christopher Wool, Albert Oehlen, Neo Rauch, Ai Weiwei, Beatriz Milhazes, Julian Schnabel, Georg Baselitz, Glenn Brown, the David Hockney SUMO A Bigger Book, as well as monographs such as the XXL-sized Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The author

Eleanor Nairne is a curator at the Barbican Art Gallery. She has worked on a number of critically acclaimed exhibitions and publications, including Basquiat: Boom for Real (2017) and Imran Qureshi: Where the Shadows are so Deep (2016). Prior to the Barbican, she was curator of the Artangel Collection at Tate. She is a regular catalogue essayist, a writer for frieze, and a previous Jerwood Writer in Residence.

Jean-Michel Basquiat. 40th Ed.
Hardcover15.6 x 21.7 cm1.11 kg512 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-8091-5

Edition: French

ISBN 978-3-8365-8092-2

Edition: English

ISBN 978-3-8365-8134-9

Edition: Spanish
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5.0

/5

26 Ratings

Quality text, for ridiculous prices

Bruno,October 30, 2021
Have you ever wanted to own some great art books to place on your shelf, coffee table or bed side? These books are the ones... I seriously can't believe the 500 pages of paintings and text about the artist. The image quality is great. The color quality is great. It is hard cover! This would make a great gift as well and I recommend you go through the other 40th editions. I'll be purchasing all the others!

Super pour découvrir Basquiat à un prix imbattable

Guillaume,October 30, 2021
Suite à un docu sur Arte j'avais envie d'en savoir plus sur l'artiste et ce livre est parfait pour cela. Ce livre est complet et retrace à merveille le parcours de l'artiste, beaucoup d'oeuvres à l'intérieur et des textes accompagnants bien pensés et tout le savoir-faire de Taschen en prime. Je vous le recommande !

What a wonderful book!!

Carlo,October 28, 2021
It is undoubtedly an ambitious book but I believe that it succeeds in its aim, to give us a detailed and profound overview of that revolutionary genius that was Jean-Michel.

Great book

Pedro,October 28, 2021
Very thorough and informative book with accurate references

Another home run

Bob,October 28, 2021
This one is gorgeous. TASCHEN's art books are simply the best I've ever seen, both in design and information. Beautiful examples of the art of bookmaking. Thank you.