Categories: Travel

What to expect at the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition in Singapore

Published:

Jan 01, 2025 08:00 AM

ICT | 3 min read

The global debut of Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat opened in Singapore in December 2024. Here’s what you need to know.

Seeing is believing. This adage applies to physical artworks where each textured paint stroke can be appreciated up close instead of through lifeless pictures. For the first time in Singapore, seize the opportunity to discover more about the late iconic American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat via Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat.

What to expect at Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat in Singapore

Untitled (Crown), 1988. © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.

The three-month Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition will debut globally in Singapore in December 2024.

This immersive experience, exhibiting from 16 December 2024 to 6 March 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, will delve into Basquiat’s artistic legacy.

Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat is presented by Covenant ART — a platform for art-led immersive concepts, in partnership with prominent New York collector and publisher Larry Warsh’s House of Inspiration. This exhibition is also supported by associate partners AKG Ventures, SEA Pixel Investments, Meridian Alpha Family Office, Alpha-Omega Holdings, Yang Gallery, Fable and Elevate.

The works of influential African-American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat are known to be heroism-led. Chaotic but embedded with meaning. Basquiat, a key artist with his neo-expressionism cryptic paintings, pushed the boundaries of contemporary art through the visual language of raw masks and graffitied texts and reflected the thought-provoking themes of identity, race and social dynamics.

The first-ever Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat will focus on Basquiat’s artistic journey and provide an unparalleled glimpse into his life, artistic development, and cultural influence, thanks to the support of the Basquiat Estate and their global licensing agency Artestar.

Guests will experience an immersive investigation of Basquiat’s early years, sources of inspiration, and the turning points that shaped his career. Through multi-sensory experiences, rare archive materials, and interactive installations, the three-month experience promotes reflection and discussion about the subjects that Basquiat’s art reflects while deepening appreciation for his genius school of thought.

Mitchell Crew 1983. © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.

Highlights include a section of 154 original framed pages from Basquiat’s Unknown Notebook filled with the artist’s sketches rendered in ink, markers, paint and oil sticks. Another attraction is a hands-on experience where visitors create digital portraits of themselves, Basquiat-style. Furthermore, get to know Basquiat better through dynamic video installations consisting of individual screens broadcasting rare clips of the artist at work and in conversation.

Future iterations of the series are already being planned for other major cities across Asia.

Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat is part of the highly anticipated Singapore Art Week in January 2025, an annual celebration that invites everyone to experience the richness of the arts.

Tickets are priced from S$43 for Singapore residents with concessions to S$58 for a non-local standard adult. Children aged 6 and below enjoy free entry. Purchase of tickets will be through SISITC.

Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat happens from 16 December 2024 to 6 March 2025 at Marina Bay Sands Convention Hall D.

Opening hours: 10am to 8pm daily (Last admission 7pm); Basquiat Lounge: Friday and Saturday only 9.30pm to 1am.

(All images credit: © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.)

Note:

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

written by

Derrick Tan

Digital Writer, Culture and Travel

Derrick believes in Anais Nin's quote, "We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect." Always craving knowledge with a child-like mindset, he recognises the importance of digital journalism in the current state of media consumption. During downtime, he reads periodicals to keep up with current affairs and subcultures, being a wayfarer and can be seen at live music concerts.