Jean-Michel Basquiat (Brooklyn, Nueva York, 1960-1988) was a groundbreaking American artist who rose to fame in the 1980s for his raw, expressive paintings that combined graffiti, symbolism, and text.
Basquiat’s work addressed themes of race, identity, power, and social inequality, often drawing from his Haitian and Puerto Rican heritage. His vibrant, chaotic style featured recurring motifs like crowns, skulls, and figures, reflecting both the street culture of New York and deeper historical and political narratives.
Despite his untimely death at 27, Basquiat remains one of the most influential artists of his generation, leaving a lasting impact on contemporary art.

Banksy is a world-renowned yet elusive street artist whose work blends dark humor with powerful social and political commentary. Known for his distinctive stencil-style graffiti, Banksy’s art often addresses issues like capitalism, war, environmentalism, and government surveillance. Emerging from the UK street art scene in the 1990s, his works have appeared in cities around the world, making bold statements in public spaces. Despite his anonymous identity, Banksy has achieved global fame, with his art frequently selling for millions at auction, while he continues to challenge the boundaries between art, activism, and commercialism.

Both artists share a rebellious spirit and a focus on social justice, using their art to provoke thought and challenge societal norms. While Basquiat’s work is more painterly and abstract, Banksy’s art is graphic and direct, often using public spaces as his canvas to reach a wide audience.

This exhibition presents two major works by both artists for the first time at this American museum of modern and contemporary art.
The dialogue between the two works, “Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump“ (1982) by Jean-Michel Basquiat and “Banksquiat. Boy and Dog in Stop and Search ,” (2018) by Banksy. The first iteration of Banksquiat. Boy and Dog in Stop and Search was conceived and remains in situ at the Barbican, London in 2017 as a response to the opening of exhibition Basquiat: Boom for Real, it represent a fab homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat with a portrait of the artist being welcomed by the Metropolitan Police.

The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages.