Jean-Michel Basquiat Exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton Paris

There are some names that immediately stand out when you think of a region or a city. The name Jean-Michel Basquiat is one that will conjure one of two reactions. There will be those art lovers that are aware of the tragic artist work and significance, and therefore keen to see his paintings for themselves. Then there are those that are perhaps unaware of this NYC visionary, simply because of his short career and the fame of other artists of the area. Basquiat may not have been active as an artist for very long, but we cannot overlook the importance of his work on the city and other artists. 

Basquiat started his career out of school and quickly began to develop a strong output that reflected cultural and socio-political themes of 1980s New York. His work took a natural leaning towards the place of the African American community – both within art and more widely in society. His work, including his heads series, was bold and striking. He soon became a name of great interest in the city and his work is still highly sought after. Sadly, part of the reason for this worth and interest also comes from his death in 1988. He was just 27. This current exhibition of his work in Paris shows that while he was only with us for a short time, his impact was significant. 

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is definitely not holding back when it comes to this exhibition. The works on show cover the entire career of Basquait, with around 120 pieces on loan. The curators have been privileged to obtain work that has never been seen in Europe before. Therefore, this has the chance of being a once in a lifetime opportunity for many art lovers.

The name Basquait has a sense of mystique to many art enthusiasts that know his story but have never had the chance to see his work. That is why it is so important that visitors make the time to visit this exhibition while they can. The show continues until January 14th.