The Ultimate Collection Basquiat: The World of Jean-Michel

Paint-splattered canvases lean against downtown studio walls, music drifts through late-night lofts, and subway cars rumble beneath streets where a new visual language is taking shape. Basquiat: The World of Jean-Michel offers a layered portrait of the artist and the cultural moment that shaped him. Organized thematically, the book traces key threads of Basquiat’s practice; from Heads and the energy of New York City to silkscreens, collaborations with Andy Warhol, the Blue Ribbon series, and explorations of the body, Black identity, and mythological symbolism. Rare archival photographs capture Basquiat in moments of creation, offering glimpses of works in progress alongside finished paintings, some of which have since been destroyed or lost to time. Personal handwritten notes from fellow visionaries such as Keith Haring and Robert Rauschenberg further illuminate the profound impact Basquiat had on the creative communities around him. Created in collaboration with ColourThemes, an independent international art dealership, and having liaised with leading galleries and private collectors, many works are reproduced with exceptional fidelity to preserve their true color, texture, and intensity. The hardcover, featuring Red Skull (1982) across its cover, transforms one of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s most arresting works into a bold, tactile entry point into his world. Encased in a minimalist clamshell inspired by the texture of a painter’s canvas, the book opens to reveal Basquiat’s universe. A compelling volume for art collectors, cultural historians, and admirers of contemporary culture alike, it brings together the many works and voices that continue to shape Basquiat’s legacy. Page count: 348 pages Number of illustrations: 250 Released on: May 2026 Dimensions: W 16 x L 19 x D 3.5 in Cover materials: Handcrafted Volume in a Luxury Canvas Clamshell Case Author: Colour Themes, Bruno Bischofberger, and various contributors __________ Colour Themes: Co-founded and directed by Philip Rebeiz and CJ Jones, Colour Themes is an independent, international art advisory and dealership with over a decade of experience working with private collectors and public institutions across modern and contemporary art. The firm combines market expertise with scholarly research, advising on strategy for building collections and developing museum-quality exhibitions and publications that advance critical perspectives on major artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Colour Themes has expertise in the work and market of Jean-Michel Basquiat, advising on acquisitions, institutional collaborations, and research-driven projects. Bruno Bischofberger: Swiss art dealer and collector Bruno Bischofberger has been an important figure in contemporary art for more than five decades. Bischofberger became Basquiat’s exclusive worldwide representative in May 1982. He represented the artist from that point until his death in 1988. During their relationship, Basquiat spent a lot of time with Bischofberger and his family in Zurich and St. Moritz. They made several trips together to Scotland, Italy, Spain, and Ivory Coast, among other countries. Other contributors: Silvia Sokalski has worked closely with Bruno Bischofberger for over twenty years and has studied Basquiat’s work extensively during that time. George Condo is a contemporary American artist. John Cheim is the co-founder of the New York gallery Cheim & Read. Edythe Broad is an art collector and philanthropist as well as the co-founder, with her late husband, of the Broad and the Broad Art Foundation. Grégoire Billault is the chairman of the contemporary art department and executive vice president of Sotheby’s. Annina Nosei is an art dealer and gallerist. Peter Brant is a businessman and art collector. Fred Hoffman, Ph.D., is an art historian, curator, art dealer, and art publisher. Herbert and Lenore Schorr are art collectors. Larry Warsh is an art collector and the editor of Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Notebooks and was an original member of the Basquiat Authentication Committee. Keith Haring was an artist who emerged from the 1980s New York City scene. Andy Warhol was an artist and a leading figure in the pop art movement. Lenny Kravitz is an award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, actor, designer, and photographer. Valentino Garavani was a fashion designer and the founder of Valentino. Hans Ulrich Obrist is an art curator and critic. bell hooks was a black feminist author, theorist, educator, and social critic. Thulani Davis is a poet, playwright, and historian. Elon Green is the author of The Man Nobody Killed and Last Call. Jeffrey Deitch is an art dealer and curator. Francesco Clemente is a contemporary artist who lives and works in New York City and India. Philip Rebeiz is a principal of Colour Themes, an art dealer, and an adviser specialized in Jean-Michel Basquiat.