May 12, 2015 - Sale 2383

Sale 2383 - Lot 211

Price Realized: $ 9,375
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 5,000 - $ 8,000
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT AND KEITH HARING
Graffiti Jacket.

Felt-tip pen and ink on black Bonwit Teller leather jacket, circa 1984. 840x540 mm; 33x21 1/4 inches.

This jacket serves as a "who's who" of the downtown New York City street art scene in the 1980s. As a door girl for the Danceteria VIP room "Congo Bill," the owner of this jacket helped originate the idea of tagged clothing in the early 1980s by inviting her social contacts to inscribe her accessories (see also lots 209, 210, 213 and 214).

With Basquiat's "crown" and "s" in gold, left recto, and in silver, upper right recto, and Haring's neon green Three Eyed Smiling Face sticker, lower right recto.
Additional tags include a large drawing Acid Rain in silver felt tip pen and ink, verso, by Shadi (David Scilken), a spray can by Futura 2000 (Leonard McGurr), as well as Ad-Rock (Adam Horowitz of the Beastie Boys). The b-boy group Rock Steady Crew is referenced in a tag by Crazy Legs (Richard Colón), and RP3 refers to his connection with Madonna in "Boy Toy" tags. Also tagged by graffiti artists CEY ADAMS, ENERGY (John Starr), FAB FIVE FREDDY (Fred Brathwaite), KANO (Dante Ross), DR. REVOLT, STASH (Josh Franklin), ZEPHYR (Andrew Witten), JIGS CITY (Julie Ashcraft) and others.