| Zenith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol |
| Year | 1985 |
| Medium | Acrylic on canvas |
| Movement | Neo-expressionism and pop art |
| Dimensions | 297 cm × 673 cm (117 in × 265 in) |
| Location | Private collection |
Zenith is a painting created by American artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol in 1985. It sold for $11.4 million at Phillips in May 2014, the highest price paid at auction for a Warhol-Basquiat collaboration.[1]
Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat were formally introduced by art dealer Bruno Bischofberger in October 1982.[2] They became creative partners and their prolific friendship defined the 1980s New York art scene.[3] Artist Ronnie Cutrone, and assistant to Warhol, said: "It was like some crazy art-world marriage and they were the odd couple. The relationship was symbiotic. Jean-Michel thought he needed Andy’s fame and Andy thought he needed Jean-Michel’s new blood. Jean-Michel gave Andy a rebellious image."[2]
From 1984 to 1985, Warhol and Basquiat created a series of large paintings together. Their collaborations ended after their joint exhibition, Paintings, at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery drew poor reviews in September 1985.[4][5] Their collaborative works merged their two styles. Warhol would start by painting a commercial image and then Basquiat would add his own flare. Describing the process, Basquiat said: "He would put something very concrete or recognizable, like a newspaper headline or a product logo, and I would sort of deface it, and then I would try to get him to work some more on it, and then I would work more on it."[6] Zenith is titled after electronics company Zenith, whose red logo is centered on the canvas. It sold for $11.4 million at the Phillips Contemporary Art Evening Sale in May 2014, becoming the most expensive painting from their collaborations sold at auction.[1][7]
Zenith has been exhibited at the following art institutions:
