Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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He was the star of the 1980s New York art scene, but was Jean-Micheal Basquiat a truly great artist or the product of a booming art market? And why did one of his works sell for more than $110 million? Join Alastair and James as they explore the meteoric rise and tragic fall of one of the most distinctive artists of the 1980s.

Artworks in this episode include:

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Untitled, 1982
Acrylic, spray paint and oil stick on canvas, 183,2 × 173 × 4,8 cm
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s, Inc. 2025

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Untitled, 1982
Oilstick on paper, 75.9 x 56.5 cm.
Private Collection.
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Colour Themes.

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Mosquito Coil, 1982
Oilstick, graphite and charcoal on paper, 76.2 x 109.2 cm,
Private Collection.
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Colour Themes.

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