Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) (after) - "Molasses, 1983"

- Jean-Michel Basquiat (after), giclée on watercolour paper (approx.300gsm, refers to paper thickness/density).

- Copyright Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. licensed by Artestar New York. McGaw Graphics, Inc.

- Size: 45,5 x 60 cm.

- Condition: excellent. Never framed, never exposed.

- Ready to frame. The pic in which the item appears framed is a simulated recreation for illustrative purposes only, the frame and other decorative elements shown in it are not included in the lot you are bidding on.

- Stamp on verso.

- Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Molasses (1983) is a powerful example of the artist’s ability to fuse raw urban energy, fragmented narrative and a highly personal symbolic vocabulary into a composition that feels at once spontaneous and meticulously constructed. Set against an intense pink field, the image brings together mask-like heads, mechanical forms, cage-like structures, black linear passages and a robot-like figure, creating a tense visual dialogue between the human, the primitive and the technological. The deliberately rough contours, skeletal motifs and abrupt shifts of scale give the work the immediacy of graffiti and street drawing, while the layered references to identity, confinement, machinery and power place it firmly within Basquiat’s most fertile early-1980s period. His language connects naturally with Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, while the fractured figuration and expressive distortion also invite associations with Picasso, Dubuffet and Cy Twombly. At the same time, the work’s raw graphic force anticipates the continuing impact of artists such as Banksy and Shepard Fairey.

The dominant pink ground, punctuated by black, brown, yellow, green, blue and white, gives Molasses exceptional decorative impact and makes it especially effective in contemporary, urban, eclectic and design-led interiors. It works beautifully against charcoal, muted grey, dusty blue, warm beige, sage or deep burgundy walls, and pairs particularly well with black lacquer, chrome, walnut, concrete, leather, travertine and sculptural modern furniture. Its strong horizontal format makes it ideal above a sofa, sideboard, console or desk, where the contrast between the vivid background and the graphic figures can create a dramatic focal point. It is also a striking gift for admirers of Basquiat, New York culture, street art, Neo-Expressionism, contemporary design and bold graphic imagery.

For lovers of Jean-Michel Basquiat and late twentieth-century art, Molasses brings together many of the elements that have made his work among the most recognisable and sought-after of the contemporary era: urgent line, cryptic symbolism, mask-like faces, urban references and a constant tension between spontaneity and structure. Its appeal extends naturally to admirers of Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Gerhard Richter, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and Sébastien Lagasse, bridging modernism, Pop Art, graffiti, street art and Neo-Expressionism. It also sits comfortably within collections shaped by fashion, luxury and design from Cartier, Rolex and Patek Philippe to Chanel, Dior, Hermès and Gucci alongside art books, rare posters, designer objects, Lego, Star Wars, Pokémon and other collectible icons. A bold, enigmatic and unmistakably Basquiat composition, ideal for bringing urban intensity, contemporary edge and powerful visual character to any interior.