Undiscovered Genius
Undiscovered Genius
Unsigned Print
Jean-Michel Basquiat
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AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
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Screen print in colours on Somerset Satin paper. S. 55.9 x 76.2 cm. (22 x 30 in.). Executed in 2019 in an edition of 50. Signed by the Administrators of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Artwork | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2021 | Cornette de Saint Cyr Brussels - Belgium | Undiscovered Genius - Unsigned Print | |||
| October 2021 | Wright - United States | Undiscovered Genius - Unsigned Print | |||
| December 2020 | Phillips Hong Kong - Hong Kong | Undiscovered Genius - Unsigned Print |
Meaning & Analysis
This 2019 screenprint is a reproduction of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1982-3 work Undiscovered Genius. Lifted from Basquiat’s infamous Daros Suite series of 32 drawings and paintings which addressed issues surrounding institutional racism throughout history and the history of the arts. At the centre of the composition is a black man holding a guitar, who is the ‘Undiscovered Genius’ focal figure of the work. Around his intensely coloured figure are a series of sketches and text panels that encourage the viewer to read the work as much as view it.
From his Daros Suite series, Undiscovered Genius forms part of Basquiat’s deeply political oeuvre in the 1980s. Typical of his larger body of work, this piece draws attention to the two-faced exploitation and erasure of artistry among people of colour. While Basquait made direct references to prolific black figures like Marcus Garvey in other works in the series, Undiscovered Genius draws attention to an anonymous black musician holding a guitar.
Above the unidentified musician are the words ‘GRIOT BLUESMAN’. The word ‘griot’ in West Africa alludes to a singer who records the personal histories of individuals and groups through their music, and had a great influence on the blues genre in America. Given Basquiat’s own preoccupation with music, Undiscovered Genius therefore highlights the forgotten roots of the celebrated blues genre. Next to the focal guitarist figure, text reading ‘“VERSUS” THE DEVIL ⓒ’ prominently sits below a head watching the musician. Coupled with countless references to the Mississippi Delta (the birthplace of the blues) across the composition, Basquiat therefore shows the hypocrisy of the blues being called ‘the Devil’s music’.
