Ultra-productive during his short career, Jean-Michel Basquiat left behind a scattered and complex legacy. To make matters worse, the two sisters of New York genius, guarantors of the moral rights of his works, have refused since 2012 to officially recognize creations unknown until now. Each novel by Basquiat, which did not always sign its productions, therefore arouses curiosity and suspicion on the part of experts.
An art gallery near Dijon is currently paying the price. Recognized experts of the New York artist dispute the authenticity of the 35 drawings, presented as unpublished, exhibited until January 2021 in the Volcano gallery. “We can not imagine that an envelope of thirty drawings could have been found like that!», Richard Rodriguez told France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comte . This collector, specialist of Jean-Michel Basquiat, also denounced the lack of finesse in the features of the works presented in Côte d’Or. “These are scribbles. We can see that it is crudely drawn, Basquiat was not a child and, if he did expressionist works, he also had a very beautiful stroke of the pencil.», He denounced in Point. A Luxembourg gallerist, Nordine Zidoun, also expressed serious doubts about the veracity of the sketches presented to Volcano.
Wishing to defuse the controversy, the Côte-d’Orienne gallery disputed these accusations in a press release. «These debates are common concerning the works of Basquiat, his beneficiaries refusing to authenticate them thus protecting themselves from possible future challenges. Before exhibiting, several experts were consulted, who said that nothing could suggest that these drawings were fakes.», Reacted Emmanuel Dupont, manager of the Volcano gallery. He also specifies that the visit to the exhibition dedicated to the artist is free and regrets “that the influence of actors who make a living from the art trade disturb an initiative with a cultural vocation».
With a painting sold for over 100 million euros, Basquiat is one of the most important American artists in the history of contemporary art. Died of an overdose at the age of 27, in 1988, he was extremely successful during his lifetime, before gradually sinking into drugs.
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