Jean-Michel Basquiat (American, 1960–1988)
Phooey, 1982/2021
61-color screenprint on Saunders Waterford paper
43 × 84 inches (109.2 × 213.4 cm)
Limited edition
Published by Flatiron Editions with the authorization of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
Condition: Excellent
Provenance: Private Collection, New York
Location: United States
Price: Upon Request
About the Work
Monumental in scale and extraordinary in its complexity, Phooey is a powerful Estate-authorized screenprint based upon imagery Jean-Michel Basquiat created in 1982—arguably the most important and sought-after period of his career.
Measuring an imposing 84 inches (213.4 cm) across, the work translates Basquiat’s explosive visual vocabulary into an exceptionally ambitious graphic format. Figures, anatomical references, symbols, fragmented words and passages of energetic mark-making collide across the composition, creating the sense of controlled chaos that became one of the defining characteristics of Basquiat’s work.
The elongated horizontal format gives Phooey tremendous wall presence. Rather than reading as a conventional print, its scale allows the composition to function much more like a major painting or mural, enveloping the viewer in Basquiat’s dense network of imagery and language.
An Extraordinary 61-Color Screenprint
Technically, Phooey is particularly remarkable.
The image was recreated using an extraordinary 61-color screenprinting process on Saunders Waterford paper. The large number of individually printed colors allows the edition to retain much of the complexity, layering and immediacy associated with Basquiat’s original painted surface.
The result is a work with unusual depth and visual intensity for the medium, with overlapping passages of color, drawing and text unfolding across more than seven feet of paper.
Basquiat in 1982
The original imagery dates to 1982, the breakthrough year that established Basquiat as one of the most important young artists in New York.
During this remarkably fertile period, Basquiat developed the vocabulary for which he would become internationally recognized: skeletal and anatomical figures, crowns, masks, diagrams, repeated words, crossed-out language and references ranging from street culture and advertising to history, race, economics and art history.
His compositions frequently appear spontaneous, but their complexity reveals a sophisticated process of accumulation, revision and erasure. Words are written and then crossed out; images appear, disappear and re-emerge beneath subsequent layers. As Basquiat famously observed, he crossed out words so that viewers would notice them—the act of obscuring something could make it even more conspicuous.
Phooey exemplifies this approach. Its sprawling composition invites the eye to move constantly between figure, text, symbol and color, revealing new details with repeated viewing.
Estate-Authorized Edition
Phooey was published posthumously in 2021 by Flatiron Editions with the authorization of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
These Estate-authorized editions have become an important component of Basquiat’s graphic legacy, allowing a carefully selected group of significant compositions to be realized as highly sophisticated screenprints while maintaining a clear connection to the artist’s Estate.
At 43 × 84 inches, Phooey is particularly compelling for collectors seeking the visual impact of Basquiat’s large-scale imagery. Its combination of iconic 1982 source material, technical complexity and monumental proportions creates a commanding presence in both residential and institutional settings.
Phooey offers an opportunity to experience the raw energy, intelligence and extraordinary visual language that made Jean-Michel Basquiat one of the defining artists of the late twentieth century.
