Basquiat, where are his works?

Jean Michel Basquiat was born in New York in December 1960 and died at just 27 years old in 1988.

A child prodigy, he learned to read and write at just four years old and from a young age showed a strong inclination towards art, encouraged by his mother, Matilde, who enrolled him in schools that could nurture her son’s talent.

However, after his parents’ divorce and his mother’s continuous hospitalizations in psychiatric wards, he turned to drugs. He ran away from home at just fifteen and began using LSD, a habit he would never shake off, ultimately leading to his death from an overdose.

The Flash Success and Themes

Jean Michel Basquiat achieved fame at just twenty years old in 1980 under the pseudonym SAMO. He appeared in the magazine High Times in an article dedicated to graffiti, and from that moment on, his works transitioned from the streets of New York to the halls of the most prestigious American and European galleries and museums.

In his works, Basquiat unflinchingly critiques American capitalist society, denouncing poverty and the oppression of the marginalized, proudly reclaiming his African American roots.

Where are Basquiat’s Works?

A large part of Basquiat’s works are in private collections, but here is a brief list of museums fortunate enough to have some in their collections.

Where to See Basquiat in Italy

In Italy, despite several temporary exhibitions dedicated to him in many museums, only the Roberto Casamonti Collection in Florence has a Basquiat in its permanent collection, specifically the work Untitled 1984.

Are you in Florence and want to see a Basquiat live? Book a visit to the Roberto Casamonti Collection, which displays the only Basquiat in a permanent collection in an Italian institution.

Book a Visit to See Basquiat at the Casamonti Collection

You can purchase tickets online for individuals or groups through the Artuspp platform, the official partner of the Casamonti Collection for booking tickets online, including for guided tours.

Where to See Basquiat in the United States

Here is a list of museums in the United States where you can find Basquiat’s works.

• Whitney Museum of American Art, New York houses seven Basquiat works, including perhaps one of the most famous, Hollywood Africans;
• Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art ;
• The Broad Museum, Los Angeles, has more than ten paintings, including Untitled 1981;
• The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY;
• The Menil Collection, Houston, TX;
• The Museum of Modern Art, New York;
• Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles;
• The Andy Warhol Museum
• High Museum of Art, Atlanta;
• The Metropolitan Museum, New York;
• Rubell Museum Miami;

Where to see Basquiat in Europe

Here is a list of museums in Europe where you can find Basquiat’s works.

• The Daros Collection , Zurich, Switzerland;
• MACBA, Barcelona, Spain;
• Ludwig Forum Aachen, Aachen, Germany;
• Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands;

Where to see Basquiat in Asia

Here is a list of museums in Asia where you can find Basquiat’s works.

• Fukuoka Art Museum , Fukuoka, Japan;
• Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.