The Basquiat x Warhol Exhibition “Painting Four Hands” Is Legendary

On view through August 28, the Basquiat x Warhol exhibition marks one of the biggest artist collabs in history

Fondation Louis Vuitton continues to explore the legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol in the new Basquiat x Warhol exhibition titled Painting four hands. This latest exhibition showcases over 300 documents and works as well as 80 canvases created by the two legendary artists.

Dieter Bucchart and Anna Karina Hofbauer are the curators of the Basquiat x Warhol exhibition Painting four hands, which begins with a selection of portraits of Basquiat by Warhol and Warhol by Basquiat before diving into the duo’s early collaborations. Basquiat, Warhol, and Italian artist Francesco Clemente initially collaborated on fifteen paintings with the help of Swiss dealer Bruno Bischofberger. Basquiat and Warhol eventually went on to produce about 160 paintings together between the years of 1984 and 1985.

Before he passed away in 1988, Basquiat described the nature of their collaborative process. “Andy would start one painting and put something very recognizable on it, or a product logo, and I would sort of deface it,” said Basquiat. “Then I would try to get him to work some more on it, I would try to get him to do at least two things.”

Basquiat x Warhol
Fondation Louis Vuitton | YouTube

“I drew it first and then I painted it like Jean-Michel,” added Warhol. “I think those paintings we’re doing together are better when you can’t tell who did which parts.”

Several rooms in the exhibition trace the different phases of Basquiat and Warhol’s collaborations. They include the second gallery, which emphasizes the intensity of their work, the fourth, which showcases large-scale paintings, still lifes, and the renowned African Masks, and the sixth, which recalls the turbulent 1980s, when the AIDS crisis quickly grew.

The Basquiat x Warhol exhibition is currently on view at Fondation Louis Vuitton till August 28.

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