Jean-Michel Basquiat’s paintings in Los Angeles will go on display at the Gagosian this spring, marking the first exhibition to focus solely on Basquiat’s time in California. The “Made on Market Street” exhibition, curated by Fred Hoffman (who worked closely with Basquiat at the time) and Larry Gagosian, is scheduled from March 7 to June 1 and will feature nearly thirty works created between November 1982 and May of 1984.
Gagosian’s connection with Basquiat began in 1981, leading to the New York artist’s inaugural exhibition at the Larry Gagosian Gallery in April 1982, the first time his work was shown on the West Coast. Basquiat returned to Los Angeles later that year, settling in a creative space provided by Gagosian on Market Street. Here, Basquiat created an important body of work, including Hollywood Africans e Museum Security (Hollywood Meltdown) (both 1983).
“Los Angeles has always been a great city for artists, and Jean-Michel seemed to find it a refreshing change from New York,” Gagosian said in a statement. “While the immensity of his talent was immediately apparent, it was a highlight of my own career to work with him, to present him in Los Angeles, and to witness the amazing impact his art and legacy have had on our culture.”
