Basquiat's "Defacement": The Untold Story at Guggenheim Museum in New York

Until November 6, 2019, the public will visit a thematic exhibition dedicated to the work by Jean-Michel Basquiat (American, 1960–1988) Complemented with work by others of his generation the show explores a formative chapter in the artist's career through the lens of his identity and the role of cultural activism in New York City during the early 1980s. The exhibition takes as its starting point the painting The Death of Michael Stewart (1983), informally known as Defacement, which Basquiat created to commemorate the fate of the young black artist Michael Stewart at the hands of New York City's transit police after allegedly tagging a wall in an East Village subway station. Originally painted on the wall of Keith Haring's studio, the work was not meant to be seen publicly or enter the art market. With approximately twenty paintings and works on paper created in the years surrounding Stewart's death, this presentation will examine Basquiat's exploration of black identity, his protest against police brutality, and his attempts to craft a singular, aesthetic language of empowerment. Also featured will be ephemera related to Stewart's death, including newspaper clippings and protest posters, along with samples of artwork from Stewart's estate. The exhibition was organized by the Guest Curator Chaédria LaBouvier.