"BASQUIAT X WARHOL. PAINTING FOUR HANDS" at the Louis Vuitton Foundation is the most important exhibition ever dedicated to this remarkable body of work and brings together more than three hundred works and documents, including eighty canvases co-signed by the two artists. The exhibition can now be visited through August 28, 2023.

"BASQUIAT X WARHOL. PAINTING FOUR HANDS" at the Louis Vuitton Foundation is the most important exhibition ever dedicated to this remarkable body of work

Besides including signed works by Warhol (1928 - 1987) and Basquiat (1960 - 1988) together, the exhibition curated by Dieter Buchhart and Anna Karina Hofbauer in collaboration with Foundation Louis Vuitton curator Olivier Michelon also features unique works by each artist and represents masterfully the New York downtown art scene of the 1980s, also featuring works by Futura 2000, Michael Halsband, Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Kenny Scharf, among others.

Besides including signed works by Warhol and Basquiat together, the exhibition also features unique works by each artist and represents masterfully the New York downtown art scene of the 1980s

The exhibition presented in the building designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry occupies several floors of the Foundation:

“Some forty years later, this exhibition is an invitation to live in the present and experience, in the Foundation’s galleries, one of the most intense artistic episodes of the second half of the twentieth century. Because by creating ‘with four hands’, the two artists not only expressed generosity and reciprocal confidence, they also invite us into their conversation” expressed Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH.

“Because by creating ‘with four hands’, the two artists not only expressed generosity and reciprocal confidence, they also invite us into their conversation” —Bernard Arnault

The exhibition showcases the dialogues between Warhol and Basquiat who merged their styles creating works with Warhol's famous American icons and Basquiat's African American community influences. Keith Haring (1958-1990), who personally witnessed the friendship actually said about them painting that it was a “conversation occurring through painting, instead of words”.

The first works Warhol and Basquiat produced together, who were introduced by their gallerist Bruno Bischofberger, also included the participation of the Italian painter Francesco Clemente (1952-). They painted about fifteen works with Clemente and then continued their effervescent collaboration for two years.

“Andy would start one (painting) and put something very recognizable on it, or a product logo, and I would sort of deface it. Then I would try to get him to work some more on it, I would try to get him to do at least two things” —Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“Andy would start one (painting) and put something very recognizable on it, or a product logo, and I would sort of deface it. Then I would try to get him to work some more on it, I would try to get him to do at least two things” —Jean-Michel Basquiat.

”I drew it first and then I painted it like Jean-Michel. I think those paintings we’re doing together are better when you can’t tell who did which parts” —Andy Warhol.

Visit the exhibition “BASQUIAT X WARHOL. PAINTING FOUR HANDS" at the Louis Vuitton Foundation (8 av. du Mahatma Gandhi, Paris) until August 28th, 2023.