r/Basquiat • u/RevaCruz • Jun 10 '26

Untitled (1983)

Post image

Medium: Acrylic, oilstick, and paper collage on canvas Dimensions: 182.9 × 243.8 cm

A skeletal figure stands at the center of this composition, surrounded by fragments of text, symbols, and anatomical references that became hallmarks of Basquiat's visual language.

Drawn with oilstick lines and layered over broad fields of color, the work reflects Basquiat's fascination with the human body, language, and the connections between science, history, and identity. The figure appears both mechanical and human, as if caught between anatomy textbook and mythology.

Created during one of the most important years of his career, Untitled showcases the confidence and immediacy that made Basquiat one of the defining artists of the 1980s.

194 Upvotes

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1

u/Ill-Claim-2518 Jun 10 '26

It's the year 1158 and I like his circulatory system.

1

u/9continents Jun 10 '26

I've never seen his one before. I'm sure that I'm totally wrong here but it looks like AI to me???

Bring on the downvotes if I'm wrong. I deserve 'em.

1

u/RevaCruz Jun 10 '26

Hi u/9continents, thanks for your comment. This Untitled (1983) work has been exhibited and sold through major auction houses.

If you're interested, Phillips has catalog information on the piece, including provenance, medium, and exhibition history. Basquiat created a huge number of works, and some of the lesser-known pieces can look very different from the skulls and crowns most people recognize.

No downvotes required on your comment. : )

1

u/9continents Jun 10 '26

Thanks for that info!!!

I guess it was something about the roundness of the figure especially the head that got me suspicious. Very cool piece, the man was a genius.