Basquiat Masterpiece, Abstract Works by Richter and Mitchell Available in Sotheby’s Fall Contemporary Evening Auction

Sotheby’s mid-November Contemporary Evening Auction explores the most radical and transformative art movements of the late 20th century. Represented in the catalog are works of Color Field painting, Pop Art, Minimalism, and more. A self-portrait by Jean-Michel Basquiat leads the listings. Titled Self-Portrait as a Heel (Part Two), this acrylic and oilstick on canvas is dominated by an electric green background. In front, fragmented body parts appear from multiple angles. Basquiat painted this piece between 1982 and 1983, during a visit to Los Angeles. Shortly before, he made his breakthrough in the mainstream art world, and his fame was spiking when he created a series of self-portraits. Responding to this newfound fame, Basquiat used his art to explore his role as a Black man in a predominately white art world. 

Another notable lot in this upcoming auction is an abstract 1997 work by Gerhard Richter. This work belongs to the artist’s Abstraktes Bilder series from the 1990s. Richter executed the present work on an immense square canvas using rich shades of wine red and navy blue. Utilizing his signature squeegee, Richter built up layers of paint on the canvas, scraping them back to reveal glimmers of color beneath. Bidders can consider other abstract works by Joan Mitchell and Lucio Fontana, as well as paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Wayne Thiebaud. Visit Sotheby’s website for more information on the upcoming Contemporary Evening Auction and to register to bid.