Basquiat × Banksy brings together two landmark works: Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump (1982) by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksquiat. Boy and Dog in Stop and Search (2018) by the anonymous artist Banksy. Displayed in dialogue for the first time, the paintings explore connections between street art, contemporary art, and cultural consciousness.
This marks the first time works by either artist have been shown at the Hirshhorn Museum, the Smithsonian’s national museum of modern and contemporary art. The exhibition also features 20 smaller works on paper and wood by Basquiat—created between 1979 and 1985—on loan from the collection of Larry Warsh. These pieces highlight Basquiat’s command of language, references to art history, and recurring symbols such as skulls and crowns.
Also on view is the film Downtown 81, shot in 1980–81 and released in 2000. The film stars Basquiat playing a version of himself as a young artist navigating the Manhattan art scene.
The exhibition is organized by Hirshhorn assistant curator Betsy Johnson and is part of the museum’s 50th-anniversary season. Public programming includes a free lecture by Duke University professor Richard J. Powell at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 in the Hirshhorn’s Ring Auditorium.
Support for the exhibition is provided by Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst.
Artwork: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump, 1982. © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York