Anatomy

From the jaw to the thyroid, the scapula and the skull, Basquiat captures the details of the internal body with dexterity in his inimitable drawing style. Each print features depictions of individual bones, joints and muscles alongside the name of the body part, echoing the medical technicality of the book that introduced the artist to the workings of the body as a child. A number of the prints show the body part in question from different angles in Basquiat’s angular, feverish drawing style, bringing life and mobility to the diagrams.

The images resemble x-rays with their black backgrounds and white lines, further emphasizing their clinical quality and differentiating the works from the colourful vibrancy of Basquiat’s most famous pieces. While Basquiat’s depiction of the body parts is not always entirely accurate, the Anatomy prints attest to an underlying interest in the workings of the body which came to constitute a key element of the artist’s visual language.

Basquiat's overwhelming fascination with the intricate workings of the human body is brought to the forefront in the Anatomy series. This investigation into Basquiat's perception of physical form attests to the significant influence of Gray's Anatomy on him as a child, as well as his own personal experience with physical injury.

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