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A Panel of Experts

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A Panel of Experts
ArtistJean-Michel Basquiat
Year1982
MediumAcrylic and oil paintstick and paper collage on canvas with exposed wood supports and twine
MovementNeo-expressionism
Dimensions150 cm × 150 cm (60 in × 60 in)
LocationMontreal Museum of Fine Arts,Montreal
Gift of Ira Young

A Panel of Expertsis a painting created by American artistJean-Michel Basquiatin 1982. The artwork in part is Basquiat's depiction of acatfightbetween two of his lovers,Suzanne Malloukand singerMadonna.

Background[edit]

In 1981, Jean-Michel Basquiat began dating Suzanne Mallouk, awaitressand aspiring artist he met at Night Birds bar in Manhattan'sEast Village.[1]He moved in with her and she paid the rent while he focused on painting.[2]That same year, he made the transition from astreet artistto exhibiting his artwork in galleries.[1]They moved into a loft provided bygalleristAnnina Noseion Crosby Street inSoHoin early 1982; Mallouk moved out of the loft a few months later.[3][4]They datedon-and-offuntil 1983.[5]

In 1982, Basquiat began dating Madonna, then an up-and-coming singer working on her debut albumMadonna.[6]According toEd Steinberg,who directed the music video for her debut single "Everybody,"he arranged for them to meet at his place after Madonna spotted Basquiat at Lucky Strike nightclub.[7]However, Basquiat's formerGraybandmate Nick Taylor stated that he introduced them during Retro Night atBowlmor.[8]Soon after meeting, Madonna moved into Basquiat's Crosby Street loft and they dated until 1983.[9][10]One night while they were atThe Roxynightclub inChelsea,Mallouk spotted them and attacked Madonna in a jealous rage.[11]Mallouk also made abonfireof Basquiat's paintings outside his loft.[12][9]

Analysis[edit]

A Panel of Expertsis painted on stretched canvas. The canvas is on the base of a handmade structure; tied pieces of wood with twine. Basquiat drew some images and painted the background black, which overlaps some of the images. This creates a strong contrast and draws attention to the text and imagery.

The top left side has "VENUS" written with "MADONNA©" crossed out underneath. Basquiat referred to Suzanne Mallouk as "Venus" in his paintings.[11]He crossed out words to bring more attention to them. "I cross out words so you will see them more; the fact that they are obscured makes you want to read them," he said.[13]Thecopyright symbolnext to Madonna's name suggests his awareness of her impending fame. Basquiat told his art dealerLarry Gagosianthat "she'll be the biggest pop star in the world."[14]There is humor in the painting with Basquiat depicting the catfight between Mallouk and Madonna as stick figures. According to Mallouk, Basquiat told that her that she won the fight which is why he crossed out Madonna's name, adding she "beat her up just like a Puerto Rican girl."[11]

Growing up Basquiat wanted to be a cartoonist.[15]In this painting he incorporates and repurposes cartoon images.[16]Below the fight, there is a superman-like figure accompanied by the word "KRAK," relating to thecomic book-style of addingonomatopoeicsound effects. The phrase "SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON" is written on the top right of the painting. On the bottom of the painting, text relating toSaturday morning cartoonsare written such as "SUGAR COATED CORN PUFFS," "MILK" and "SUGAR." Basquiat's crown motif which appears frequently in his early work is also present twice.

Exhibitions[edit]

A Panel of Expertswas created for Basquiat's solo exhibition at theFun Galleryin New York in November 1982.[17]It is now part of the permanent collection at theMontreal Museum of Fine Artsin Montreal.[18]

In 2016,A Panel of Expertswas displayed at theVancouver Art Galleryas part ofMashUp: The Birth of Modern Culture.[19]From September 2017 to January 2018, it was exhibited at theBarbican Centrein London as part ofBasquiat: Boom for Real.[20]Madonna, who was Basquiat's date for his Fun Gallery exhibition opening in 1982, visited the Barbican and took a photo in front of the painting in 2017.[21][22]From October 2022 to February 2023, the painting was part of the exhibitionSeeing Loud: Basquiatand Musicat the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal.[23]It was then loaned for the exhibitionBasquiat Soundtracksat thePhilharmonie de Parisin Paris from April to July 2023.[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abSawyer, Miranda (September 3, 2017)."The Jean-Michel Basquiat I knew…".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved2020-10-02.
  2. ^Haden-Guest, Anthony (November 1988)."Jean-Michel Basquiat".Vanity Fair.Retrieved2020-09-25.
  3. ^Maitland, Hayley (September 20, 2017)."American Graffiti: Memories of Jean-Michel Basquiat".British Vogue.Retrieved2020-10-05.
  4. ^Hoban 1998,p. 100.
  5. ^"Opinion | The Sale of a Basquiat".The New York Times.May 19, 2017.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-09-25.
  6. ^Howe, Sean (July 29, 2013)."How Madonna Became Madonna: An Oral History".Rolling Stone.Retrieved2020-10-04.
  7. ^Easlea, Daryl (2012).Madonna: Blond Ambition.Internet Archive. Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books. p. 16.ISBN978-1-61713-034-2.
  8. ^Hoban 1998,p. 161.
  9. ^abFretz, Eric (2010).Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Biography.ABC-CLIO. p. 105.ISBN978-0-313-38056-3.
  10. ^Wrigley, Tish (January 10, 2014)."When Madonna & Basquiat Dated".AnOther.Retrieved2020-09-25.
  11. ^abcClement, Jennifer (2010).Widow Basquiat: A Memoir.Shearsman Books. pp. 89–91.ISBN978-1-84861-098-9.
  12. ^Madonna (June 2, 1996)."Jean-Michel — my fragile lover".The Guardian.p. 23 – via New Straits Times.
  13. ^Dazed (November 21, 2017)."Jean-Michel Basquiat in his own words".Dazed.Retrieved2020-09-25.
  14. ^Lipsky-Karasz, Elisa (2016-04-26)."The Art of Larry Gagosian's Empire".The Wall Street Journal.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved2022-01-31.
  15. ^Saggese, Jordana Moore (2021-03-02).The Jean-Michel Basquiat Reader: Writings, Interviews, and Critical Responses.Univ of California Press. p. 33.ISBN978-0-520-30516-8.
  16. ^"Jean-Michel Basquiat".Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.Retrieved2020-09-25.
  17. ^"Basquiat Boom for Real"(PDF).Barbican Exhibition Guide:55.
  18. ^"A Panel of Experts".mbam.qc.ca.Retrieved2022-02-01.
  19. ^"MashUp: The Birth of Modern Culture | Vancouver Art Gallery | Artsy".artsy.net.Retrieved2020-09-26.
  20. ^"The UK's first major Basquiat exhibition opens today".Huck Magazine.September 20, 2017.Retrieved2020-09-26.
  21. ^Hoban 1998,p. 139.
  22. ^Muller, Marissa G. (October 30, 2017)."Madonna Visits Ex-Boyfriend Jean-Michel Basquiat's Paintings with Her Kids".W Magazine.Retrieved2020-10-02.
  23. ^Gural, Natasha."'Seeing Loud: Basquiat And Music' Amplifies The Neo-Expressionist Master's Undeniable Bond With Sound And Vision ".Forbes.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  24. ^"Basquiat Soundtracks | Philharmonie de Paris".philharmoniedeparis.fr.Retrieved2023-11-13.

Further reading[edit]

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