Warhol by Basquiat Basquiat by Warhol

On the 8^th of May, while in Paris, I visited the Exhibition Basquiat × Warhol. À Quatre Mains (From 05.04.2023 to 28.08.2023) at Fondation Louis Vuitton. Two Portraits of the famous duo, the first a Polaroid Photo of the two artists by Andy Warhol, the other, a painted version of the Warhol Polaroid by Basquiat, were the first steps taken towards an artistic collaboration that started on the 4th of October 1982 and resulted in about 160 paintings. My new BLOG POST titled Warhol by Basquiat Basquiat by Warhol will present you with the first impressions of the legendary first meeting of the two artists, organized by Swiss Gallery owner Bruno Bischofberger, as documented by the protagonists.

Down to meet Bruno Bischofberger (cab $7.50). He brought Jean-Michel Basquiat with him. He’s the kid who used the name ‘Samo’ when he used to sit on the sidewalk in Greenwich Village and paint T-shirts, and I’d give him $10 here and there and send him up to Serendipity to try to sell the T-shirts there. He was just one of those kids who drove me crazy… And so had lunch for them and then I took a Polaroid and he went home and within two hours a painting was back, still wet, of him and me together. And I mean, just getting to Christie Street must have taken an hour” (A. Warhol, ‘October 4, 1982″, The Andy Warhol Diaries, ed. P. Hackett, New York, 1989, p. 462).… Warhol wrote in his Diary.

Andy Warhol’s diary entry provides a glimpse into his interaction with Jean-Michel Basquiat, highlighting the first dynamics of their relationship and capturing the essence of their future artistic connection. Warhol’s introduction to the meeting sets the tone for the casual and straightforward nature of the rest of the entry. Jean-Michel Basquiat, mentioned as the kid who used the name ‘Samo’  is significant. The reference to Warhol providing Basquiat with occasional financial support and sending him to sell his T-shirts at Serendipity adds a layer of mentorship or support that Warhol extended to the young artist. Warhol’s remark about Basquiat driving him crazy, however, hints at the upcoming complexities of their relationship. It suggests that Basquiat may have been a somewhat challenging individual to handle, but it’s also possible that Warhol found him intriguing or enigmatic in some way. The diary entry captures a sense of Warhol’s enduring fascination with unique and unconventional characters.

The mention of lunch together highlights the casual nature of their encounter. It’s noteworthy that Warhol took a Polaroid photograph of himself and Basquiat, capturing the moment of their meeting. The fact that Basquiat promptly painted a portrait of both of them, which Warhol describes as still wet, demonstrates Basquiat’s creative energy and immediate response to the encounter.

Overall, Andy Warhol’s diary entry provides a glimpse into his interaction with Jean-Michel Basquiat, highlighting the dynamics of their relationship and capturing the essence of their artistic connection. It showcases Warhol’s role as a mentor and the impact he had on Basquiat’s early career, while also revealing the complexities and idiosyncrasies of their shared artistic world.

Responsible for organizing the meeting between the two artists was Bruno Bischofberger, the Swiss gallery owner, who, at the time, represented both Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. His recollection of the Warhol-Basquiat first meeting expands upon the diary entry by providing additional details and emphasizing the creative exchange between the two artists. It portrays a sense of mutual artistic admiration and the vibrant energy that surrounded their interaction, further enriching our understanding of this significant moment in art history.

Warhol photographed Basquiat with his special Polaroid portrait camera. Jean-Michel asked Warhol whether he could also take a photo of him, took some shots, and then asked me to take some photos of him and Warhol together. We then wanted to go next door to have the customary cold buffet lunch. Basquiat did not want to stay and said goodbye. We had hardly finished lunch, one, at most one and half an hour later, when Basquiat’s assistant appeared with a 150 x 150 cm (60″ x 60″) work on canvas, still completely wet, a double portrait depicting Warhol and Basquiat: Andy on the left in his typical pose resting his chin on his hand, and Basquiat on the right with the wild hair that he had at the time. The painting was titled Dos Cabezas. The assistant had run the ten to fifteen blocks from Basquiat’s studio on Crosby Street to the Factory on Union Square with the painting in his hands because it wouldn’t fit into a taxi. This is how Bischofberger, who facilitated the meeting, recalled the events that led to the famous artworks!

For a Student Activity, please… Check HERE!

Valuable Information for my BLOG POST came from… https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5371726/?intObjectID=5371726

For Information and two short Videos on the Exhibition at Fondation Louis Vuitton, please… Check… Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands (fondationlouisvuitton.fr)