The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art spotlights the motif that anchored Jean Michel Basquiat’s creative language.
Tracing a Lifelong Fascination With the Head
A new exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark turns attention to one of Jean Michel Basquiat’s most defining subjects. Titled Headstrong, the show marks the first comprehensive presentation devoted entirely to the artist’s depiction of heads. Featuring 45 works, the exhibition centers on the years 1981 to 1983, a period widely considered the most prolific and experimental phase of Basquiat’s career.
Anatomy Identity and Emotion
Basquiat’s interest in anatomy began early in life after a childhood accident led his mother to gift him a copy of Gray’s Anatomy. That fascination carried into his practice, where heads became a recurring starting point and symbolic anchor. Shifting between abstract, caricatured, and anatomical forms, the works explore inner life and outward identity, moving through themes of visibility, power, and psychological intensity as Basquiat navigated his rapid rise to fame.
Drawings as Private Experiments
Works on paper play a central role in the exhibition, many executed in oil stick with raw immediacy and physical gesture. Often made on the floor and marked with dirt and wear, these drawings were largely kept private during Basquiat’s lifetime. Together, they offer rare insight into the evolution of a single motif while inviting viewers to engage with the artist not as a myth, but as a human mind grappling with race, representation, and selfhood. Headstrong is on view from January 30 through May 17, with an accompanying catalogue featuring new voices from contemporary artists and peers.
