A Panel of Experts
from Superhero Portfolio
Medium: Screen-print in colors on 425 gm Saunders Waterford paper
Year: 1982-87/2022
Size: 40×40 inches (101.6 x 101.6 cm)
Edition: 85
Artist’s Proofs: 20
Publisher: Flatiron Editions, New-York
Stamped and signed by Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, the artist’s sisters and administrators of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
As a young child Basquiat had aspired to be a cartoonist and incorporated cartoon-like figures in some of his early drawings. The mature works in this portfolio are prime examples of this influence, also containing several archetypal Basquiat stylistic concepts: the organization of seemingly disparate ideas, the sequencing of images, concepts and texts, deep interest in art and popular culture, and the creation of slogans, repeated and crossed out text and enigmatic references to strength and power.
Executed from 1982 to 1987 and reproduced in conjunction with the artist’s estate in 2022, the present work, A Panel of Experts, was released was three other works in the Hero Portfolio. A Panel of Experts is a striking example of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s characteristic scrawl in text and imagery largely inspired by the streets of New York City in the 1980s. The artist first gained notoriety as a subversive graffiti artist and street poet operating under the pseudonym SAMO whose works contained politically charged poetry and icons. At the young age of 20 years old, Basquiat sold his first painting for $25,000 which launched his short but impressive career. Basquiat’s work often included Christian iconography, African-American and Aztec cultural histories and a broad range of art historical sources to grapple with the normality of social inequality throughout the past and present.
A striking example from Jean-Michel Basquiat’s celebrated oeuvre, A Panel of Experts (1982-87/2022) is a screenprint reproduction of the 1982 canvas of the same title, which presents a glimpse into Basquiat’s personal life and psyche. Characterized by the artist’s iconic black and white color palette, the present print showcases a specific event in Basquiat’s personal life. In the upper-left hand corner of the work, under the words “Venus” and “Madonna” the artist depicts a fistfight between two stick figures. The scene is the portrayal of an actual encounter between two women in a New York nightclub: Basquiat’s then girlfriend Suzanne Mallouk (nicknamed Venus) and his lover the singer Madonna, who at the time was not yet a celebrity. Basquiat’s decision to include the copyright symbol next to Madonna’s name suggest his awareness of her imminent fame. Basquiat told his art dealer Larry Gagosian that “she’ll be the biggest pop star in the world.” Additionally, by including text that reads “Saturday Morning Cartoon” and “Sugar Coated Corn Puffs,” the present lot alludes to Basquiat’s appropriation of childhood popular culture as a means to address sociopolitical issues concerning race, identity and mortality.
A Panel of Experts is part of the Superhero Portfolio – an edition comprising four screenprints of Basquiat’s original canvases featuring the artist’s personal heroes and idols. Taking inspiration from popular comic characters and symbols, Basquiat depicts Batman, Robin, and Flash alongside his iconic gestural marks and text. The series evokes a childlike spontaneity, while simultaneously showcasing a distinct awareness and command over composition. Combining bold colors and expressive brushwork, this portfolio exemplifies the unique style for which Basquiat is famed, while also symbolizing the artist’s status as one of the most significant artists of his generation.
Auction Results
Phillips London: 21 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 45,000 – 55,000
GBP 57,150 / USD 70,286
AFTER JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
A Panel of Experts, from Superhero Portfolio, 1982-87/2022
Screenprint in colors on Saunders Waterford paper
Numbered ‘AP 12/20’ in pencil on the front
An artist’s proof, the edition was 85
Signed and dated ‘6/22/2022’ by Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux in pencil
The artist’s sisters and administrators of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
On a stamped Certificate of Authenticity on the reverse
Artnet Auctions: 13 July 2023
Estimated: USD 50,000 – 70,000
USD 93,750
AFTER JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
A Panel of Experts (from Superhero Portfolio), 1982–2022
Screen-print in colors on 425 gm Saunders Waterford paper
Numbered 42/85 in pencil
Signed and dated in pencil by Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Herivaux
The artist’s sisters and administrators of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
With the Estate stamp on the reverse