This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/21/2018
From the Ronny Sunshine Counter-Culture Collection. A Jean-Michel Basquiat original "Indian Head" painting. The painting measures 18 x 24, and we believe the medium to be oil paint on canvas. Basquiat has painted his "signature" crown on the front and also on the back of the canvas with his "SAMO" graffiti tag (a tag he created with his high school friend Al Diaz circa 1977). A crown appears frequently in the early work of Basquiat signaling his ambition and understanding of art history. Many artists used their monarchs to symbolize their own majestic powers and Basquiat continued the tradition in his own way. This atypical Basquiat painting comes from Ronny Sunshine's personal collection. He obtained the painting directly from Jean-Michel Basquiat on August 27, 1984. The story here is in in his own words: "On August 27, 1984 I was outside the Hard Rock café on W. 57th St. and ran into my good friend Andy Warhol and offered him a ride in my limo with him, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat & handed Warhol a clipboard to draw on, he drew me a dollar sign and then Haring drew a portrait of me & my limo as a flying space shuttle/flying penis. We dropped Warhol off in the east 60's. Haring, Basquiat & a few of his buddy’s drove down to Keith Haring's studio on Hester Street near the Bowery & Basquiat gave me the Indian Head Nickel painting with a hole in it. We partied for a couple of hours at the studio then I took the artwork home with me later that night." Very good condition, with a 2" inch tear. Comes with a letter of provenance from Ronny Sunshine and a Gotta Have Rock & Roll™ Certificate of Authenticity. For more information on Ronny Sunshine and his collection please copy and paste the following link to your browser: http://gottahaverockandroll.com/viewuserdefinedpage.aspx?pn=RonnySunshine