Rare 1979 Photograph of Jean Michel Basquiat:
This historical work is taken from Nicholas Taylor’s famous portfolio documenting his friendship with Jean-Michel Basquiat - a friendship which began when both collaborated on the historic No Wave band “Gray." Selections from Taylor's portfolio were most notably exhibited as part of the Basquiat: Boom For Real retrospective at London's Barbican this fall and have been featured in over 10 major publications and documentaries on the artist.

Gelatin Silver Print. 1979.
11 x 14 inches.
Edition of 3 A/P's. Signed, dated and numbered 1/3 in pencil on the recto.
Minor surface waving; corner bump on upper right; otherwise very good condition.
Provenance: Obtained directly from artist.
Lot 180 is an authorized dealer rep of Nicholas Taylor.

Whilst Basquiat often provided glimpses into his conflicted character through his own art, Taylor’s photograph offers an intimate, and perhaps more honest, portrait from the outside. The clever exploration of light and dark reveals the dichotomies that divided the artist; both his fragile and playful, tender and brazen sides are unveiled. A soft glow is cast across Basquiat’s face, communicating a tenderness and affection that only a close friend could capture.

About Nicholas Taylor
Nicholas Taylor (American, b. 1953) is a renowned photographer and musician. Taylor moved to New York in 1977 to pursue a career as a photographer and it was through the vibrant New York art scene that he came to know the young artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat. It was, in fact, his intimate portfolio of photographs documenting his friendship with Basquiat that rocketed Taylor to fame. The two would collaborate in the seminal No Wave band “Gray” and live together in the East Village, before Taylor launched a successful career as a DJ famous for track-looping. His track “Suicide Mode” would later be used in the soundtrack for Julian Schnabel’s 1996 film “Basquiat." Taylor has been directly referenced in at least two works by Basquiat and is responsible for first introducing the artist to Madonna before the two dated.

Taylor's photographs of Basquiat were recently exhibited at London's Barbican and Frankfurt's Schirn Kunsthalle as part of the landmark Basquiat: Boom for Real exhibition; with Gray (Michael Holman & Nick Taylor) recently performing at New York's MoMa in conjunction with the current Club 57 exhibition.