The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris is hosting a new exhibit dedicated to the collaboration between artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. Between 1984 and 1985, the two artists created around 160 paintings together, including some of the largest works produced during their respective careers. The exhibit, entitled “Basquiat x Warhol. Painting 4 Hands,” features more than 80 paintings jointly signed by the two American artists.
A Prolific Collaboration
Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol first met through their agent, art dealer Bruno Bischofberger, in 1982. Bischofberger brought Basquiat to Warhol’s workshop, known as The Factory, for a lunch meeting. They took Polaroid photos of themselves, and Basquiat’s assistant later returned with a freshly-painted canvas, “Dos Cabezas” (1982), a double portrait depicting Warhol and Basquiat. This led to their first collaboration, commissioned by Bischofberger.
Incredible knowledge space
Basquiat admired Warhol as an artistic personality and for his innovative approach to pop culture. The two artists worked from Warhol’s Factory on Broadway, mixing ideas onto canvases. Most of the time, Warhol would be the one initiating a painting. From 1984 to 85, over 130 collaborative works emerged from the Factory, with 16 presented at a dedicated show in September 1985 at Tony Sharazi’s gallery in downtown Manhattan. The collaboration is extremely significant in art history.
“On the one hand, it speaks so much to our time. It is like a remix, like two worlds coming together, but in a friendship, in a very respectful way. But they also created a dialectic room. So, this knowledge space they create together is incredible. But it’s like in our times: We take from anywhere, and we combine it with something totally different.”
A Significant Collaboration
The exhibit will run from 5 April until 28 August. It features some of their individual works, as well as works by other major artists from the time, such as Keith Haring and Jenny Holzer. “When you look at the scale of the works, also like ‘$6.99’ behind me, incredible”, says Buchhart.
“This collaboration also wanted something. It was not just two great artists together, like Keith Haring and Basquiat, and they did a few works together, but that was it.”
The exhibit provides an opportunity for art lovers to experience the prolific collaboration between two iconic artists, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, whose works have influenced generations of artists.
