Cabeza
by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Year: 1982
Medium: Screen Print on Lenox Museum Board
Size: 54″ X 40″ in
Edition of 85
Signed
A defining portrait within Jean-Michel Basquiat’s celebrated oeuvre, Cabeza (1982) is a screenprint on Lenox Museum Board measuring 54 × 40 inches, released in a limited edition of 85. The work captures Basquiat’s exploration of identity, human presence, and symbolic language through his influential Neo-Expressionist style. Signed and carefully editioned, it offers distinguished provenance, exceptional rarity, and strong appeal for collectors of important contemporary art.
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Cabeza is a striking work by Jean-Michel Basquiat that highlights the artist’s enduring fascination with portraiture, identity, and human expression. The work originated from Basquiat’s studio practice and does not have a street graffiti version. While Basquiat first gained attention through his SAMO graffiti writings across New York City, Cabeza reflects his mature artistic period, when his street-derived language had evolved into a powerful gallery-based practice.
The title, meaning “head” in Spanish, points directly to Basquiat’s recurring exploration of the human figure. The fragmented face, expressive marks, and symbolic details reveal themes of identity, memory, race, intellect, and emotional struggle. Basquiat often used the head as a vessel for ideas, combining references to anatomy, history, music, and African diaspora culture to create portraits that feel both personal and universal.
Collectors value Cabeza for its rarity, direct connection to Basquiat’s signature portrait works, and importance within his career. Original works from this period remain among the most sought-after in the contemporary art market, supported by strong institutional recognition and global demand.
At ArtLife Gallery, we view Cabeza as a powerful example of Basquiat’s ability to turn portraiture into cultural commentary. Related to works such as Untitled, Flexible, Hollywood Africans, and Charles the First, it represents the artist’s influential era of transforming raw expression into timeless contemporary art.
More Jean-Michel Basquiat Works to Explore
Cabeza
by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Year: 1982
Medium: Screen Print on Lenox Museum Board
Size: 54″ X 40″ in
Edition of 85
A defining portrait within Jean-Michel Basquiat’s celebrated oeuvre, Cabeza (1982) is a screenprint on Lenox Museum Board measuring 54 × 40 inches, released in a limited edition of 85. The work captures Basquiat’s exploration of identity, human presence, and symbolic language through his influential Neo-Expressionist style. Signed and carefully editioned, it offers distinguished provenance, exceptional rarity, and strong appeal for collectors of important contemporary art.
Cabeza is a striking work by Jean-Michel Basquiat that highlights the artist’s enduring fascination with portraiture, identity, and human expression. The work originated from Basquiat’s studio practice and does not have a street graffiti version. While Basquiat first gained attention through his SAMO graffiti writings across New York City, Cabeza reflects his mature artistic period, when his street-derived language had evolved into a powerful gallery-based practice.
The title, meaning “head” in Spanish, points directly to Basquiat’s recurring exploration of the human figure. The fragmented face, expressive marks, and symbolic details reveal themes of identity, memory, race, intellect, and emotional struggle. Basquiat often used the head as a vessel for ideas, combining references to anatomy, history, music, and African diaspora culture to create portraits that feel both personal and universal.
Collectors value Cabeza for its rarity, direct connection to Basquiat’s signature portrait works, and importance within his career. Original works from this period remain among the most sought-after in the contemporary art market, supported by strong institutional recognition and global demand.
At ArtLife Gallery, we view Cabeza as a powerful example of Basquiat’s ability to turn portraiture into cultural commentary. Related to works such as Untitled, Flexible, Hollywood Africans, and Charles the First, it represents the artist’s influential era of transforming raw expression into timeless contemporary art.