Currently not on view
Notary,
1983
Jean-Michel Basquiat, American, 1960–1988
L.1989.1.3 a-c
Jean-Michel Basquiat was a key member of a vibrant artisticcommunity based on New York’s Lower East Side in the late 1970s and 1980s. Comprised of musicians, actors, performers, and more, it privileged experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Basquiat started his career spray-painting graffiti on the walls of New York City, but in 1980, he began to show his paintings in exhibitions, as independent works of art. Dense and animated, they contain biting social commentary as well as historical and contemporary allusions. Notary, which juxtaposes references to astronomy, Greek mythology, and African tribal culture, weaves an elliptical tale about trade, the privatization of property, the accumulation of wealth, and the cycles of life and death.
Information
Title
Notary
Dates
1983
Maker
Medium
Acrylic, oil paintstick, and paper collage on canvas with wood supports
Dimensions
180.3 × 401.3 cm (71 × 158 in.)
frame: 199.4 × 416.6 × 11.4 cm (78 1/2 × 164 × 4 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Schorr Collections
Object Number
L.1989.1.3 a-c
Type
Share your feedback with us
The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.
