Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s complex relationship captivated the art world then and now. At a time when Warhol was already world famous and the elder statesman of New York cool, Basquiat was a downtown talent rising rapidly from the graffiti scene. Together, they forged
an electrifying personal and professional partnership
.
As a prolific documentarian of his own world, Warhol extensively photographed and wrote of his friendship with Basquiat, all played against the backdrop of 1980s downtown New York City. It reveals not only the emotional depth of their relationship but also its ambiguities, extremities, and complexities.
Produced
in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s estate
, this book chronicles the duo’s relationship in hundreds of
previously unpublished photographs
of Basquiat along with a dynamic cast of characters from Madonna to Grace Jones, Keith Haring to Fela Kuti. The shots are accompanied by entries from the legendary
Andy Warhol Diaries
,
selected collaborative artworks
, and
extensive ephemera
. Touching, intimate, and occasionally sardonic,
Warhol on Basquiat
is a voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of two of modern art’s brightest stars.