Paint-splattered canvases lean against downtown studio walls, music drifts through late-night lofts, and subway cars rumble beneath streets where a new visual language is taking shape. Basquiat: The World of Jean-Michel offers a layered portrait of the artist and the cultural moment that shaped him. Organized thematically, the book traces key threads of Basquiat’s practice; from Heads and the energy of New York City to silkscreens, collaborations with Andy Warhol, the Blue Ribbon series, and explorations of the body, Black identity, and mythological symbolism.

Rare archival photographs capture Basquiat in moments of creation, offering glimpses of works in progress alongside finished paintings, some of which have since been destroyed or lost to time. Personal handwritten notes from fellow visionaries such as Keith Haring and Robert Rauschenberg further illuminate the profound impact Basquiat had on the creative communities around him.

Created in collaboration with ColourThemes, an independent international art dealership, and having liaised with leading galleries and private collectors, many works are reproduced with exceptional fidelity to preserve their true color, texture, and intensity.

The hardcover, featuring Red Skull (1982) across its cover, transforms one of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s most arresting works into a bold, tactile entry point into his world. Encased in a minimalist clamshell inspired by the texture of a painter’s canvas, the book opens to reveal Basquiat’s universe. A compelling volume for art collectors, cultural historians, and admirers of contemporary culture alike, it brings together the many works and voices that continue to shape Basquiat’s legacy. 

Colour Themes:
Co-founded and directed by Philip Rebeiz and CJ Jones, Colour Themes is an independent, international art advisory and dealership with over a decade of experience working with private collectors and public institutions across modern and contemporary art. The firm combines market expertise with scholarly research, advising on strategy for building collections and developing museum-quality exhibitions and publications that advance critical perspectives on major artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Colour Themes has expertise in the work and market of Jean-Michel Basquiat, advising on acquisitions, institutional collaborations, and research-driven projects.

Bruno Bischofberger:
Swiss art dealer and collector Bruno Bischofberger has been an important figure in contemporary art for more than five decades. Bischofberger became Basquiat’s exclusive worldwide representative in May 1982. He represented the artist from that point until his death in 1988. During their relationship, Basquiat spent a lot of time with Bischofberger and his family in Zurich and St. Moritz. They made several trips together to Scotland, Italy, Spain, and Ivory Coast, among other countries.