Jawbone Of An Ass
Jawbone Of An Ass
Unsigned Print
Jean-Michel Basquiat
£26,000-£40,000Value Indicator
$50,000-$80,000 Value Indicator
$50,000-$70,000 Value Indicator
¥250,000-¥390,000 Value Indicator
€30,000-€45,000 Value Indicator
$270,000-$420,000 Value Indicator
¥5,090,000-¥7,820,000 Value Indicator
$35,000-$50,000 Value Indicator
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108 x 155cm, Edition of 85, Screenprint
Medium: Screenprint
Edition size: 85
Year: 2004
Size: H 108cm x W 155cm
Signed: No
Format: Unsigned Print
Last Auction: March 2024
Value Trend:
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Meaning & Analysis
Jawbone Of An Ass is a 2004 screen print in colours by Jean-Michel Basquiat from a collection of the same name. Many of Basquiat’s works attest to his encyclopaedic and transgressive cultural knowledge, which sees a diverse range of historical references brought into close proximity. Moments of ancient history such as the Punic Wars are referenced next to events from the recent past. Extensive timelines are thus forcefully compressed within Basquiat’s canvases and prints. As Jeffrey Dietch writes: “He vacuums up cultural fallout and spits it out on stretched canvas, disturbingly transformed”.
Even if the textual references of Jawbone Of An Ass are largely historical, social commentary linked to the present day bubbles under the surface. Next to the title at the top of the image reads ‘sbestos’, linking this piece to the anti-capitalist sentiment of Per Capita and Rinso through its allusion to the Asbestos scandal.
The crowd of figures which surround the central piece of text are ambiguously rendered, appearing to spectate on the historical figures, events and places which populate the text. The pair appearing to throw punches in the bottom-right of the image evoke not only the violence of the conflicts mentioned, but also recalling Basquiat’s fascination with the world of boxing, as documented in prints like Boxer Rebellion.
Jean-Michel Basquiat's unique visual style has dominated the Urban Art scene, securing his status as one of the most successful African-American street artists of the 20th Century. Addressing themes of race, identity and culture within his expressive works, his distinctive painterly style and use of child-like iconography changed the course of art history forever. Artworks such as Undiscovered Genius place controversial subjects at the forefront of his narrative. Despite his tragically premature death at the age of 27, Basquiat's impact on the art scene is exemplified through the increase of his market value in the years since.