Jean-Michel Basquiat Sotheby’s 2017 Untitled 1982 Auction Newspaper Zine

Description

In May 2017, Sotheby’s held one of the most talked-about auctions of the decade when Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1982 painting Untitled sold for $110.5 million, setting a record for the artist and becoming one of the highest prices ever paid for a work by an American painter. To mark the event, Sotheby’s produced this striking newspaper-style publication celebrating Basquiat’s career and situating the 1982 canvas within the history of contemporary art. Designed like a zine, it combined bold typography, archival photography, and critical essays, reflecting not just the value of the painting but also Basquiat’s enduring cultural presence.

The publication itself was never distributed widely; instead, it was a small, ephemeral run given out at Sotheby’s during the Untitled preview exhibition and auction. It’s scarce. And unlike glossy catalogues, this was printed on newsprint in a bold, zine-like style, underscoring Basquiat’s raw connection to the downtown art and music scene of the early 1980s.

A chance to own a piece of Basquiat auction history, issued only to attendees of Sotheby’s record-breaking 2017 sale. Essential for collectors of Basquiat, contemporary art ephemera, or the culture of 1980s New York. Did I mention how scarce it is?