Anatomy, Ligaments Of The Elbow
Anatomy, Ligaments Of The Elbow
Signed Print
Jean-Michel Basquiat
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76 x 56cm, Edition of 18, Screenprint
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Meaning & Analysis
Ligaments Of The Elbow, printed on Arches 88 paper, presents spindly sketches of the ligaments with an annotation reading “Ligaments of the elbow and superior radioulnar joints”. The drawings capture the vulnerability of the body parts with fragile, spindly lines. The fragility of the ligaments is emphasised by the decided two-dimensionality of the sketches. The rendering of the bones is almost cartoon-like in its simplicity.
Basquiat was only eight years old when he suffered severe injuries in a road accident which saw him hospitalised for a lengthy period. It was at this point that his mother introduced him to Gray’s Anatomy with the hope that it would help him understand his injuries. Leonardo da Vinci is another key influence here. Basquiat took great inspiration from the Italian master’s painstaking anatomical drawings who dissected over 30 corpses to create intricate diagrams of the human form.
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.
