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Flexible (Basquiat)

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(Redirected from Flexible (1984 painting)) 1984 painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Flexible
ArtistJean-Michel Basquiat
Year1984
MediumAcrylic and oilstick on wood
MovementNeo-expressionism
Dimensions259.1 cm × 190.5 cm (102.0 in × 75.0 in)
LocationPrivate collection

Flexible is a painting created by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1984. The artwork, which portrays a griot, sold for $45.3 million at Phillips in May 2018.

History

Jean-Michel Basquiat rose to prominence as a graffiti artist in the late 1970s, operating under the pseudonym SAMO. In the early 1980s, he began to direct his creative output towards painting and drawing. Basquiat often painted on objects he found in the streets such as discarded doors and furniture. By 1984, he had achieved international stardom for his artwork. Flexible was painted on a slatted 8.5 ft tall wood support that had been deconstructed from the fence at his studio in Venice, California. Basquiat later made several wood slat picture supports from material purchased at a SoHo lumber yard in New York. The wood slat fencing material was used in more than 17 paintings made between 1984 and 1986, including Gold Griot (1984), M (1984), Grillo (1984), and Jim Crow (1986).

Flexible depicts a griot—a storyteller, musician, and purveyor of oral history from West African culture—whose arms are joined together as a continuous band above the head. It was offered for sale for the first time, publicly or privately, in 2018. The painting was consigned directly from the Basquiat's estate. In May 2018, it sold for $45.3 million at Phillips' 20th Century & Contemporary Evening Sale, exceeding the pre-sale estimate of $20 million. It is the first Basquiat painting made after 1983 to sell for more than $20 million.

Exhibitions

Flexible has been exhibited at major art institutions worldwide, which include:

See also

References

  1. ^ Armstrong, Annie (May 18, 2018). "$45.3 M. Basquiat Is Top Lot in Robust $131.6 M. Phillips Sale of 20th-Century and Contemporary Art". ARTnews. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  2. ^ "Phillips to Offer Basquiat's "Flexible" for First Time at Auction". Art & Object. March 30, 2018. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  3. "Jean-Michel Basquiat: Street As Studio". Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  4. ^ "Jean-Michel Basquiat - Flexible". Phillips. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  5. Westall, Mark (March 29, 2018). "Phillips to Offer Basquiat's Flexible, the Iconic Painting's First Time at Auction". FAD Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  6. Sarah P., Hanson (May 4, 2018). "Basquiat's $20m work takes centre stage in Phillips sale". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
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