The Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure exhibit moved from here in NY to LA. We talked with Ileen Galllagher to find out more about this exhibit. There are close to 200 works including never before seen paintings, drawings, ephemera, and objects owned by Jean-Michel. This exhibit also includes immersive environments of his childhood home, studio, and Palladium nightclub.

This exhibit is possible due to his sisters who run the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. In their possession are many works that have never been seen before, and they wanted to share them with the public. Additionally, they wanted to create an exhibition that told the story of their brother from their unique point of view.

He was known for his Neo-Expressionism and was very expressive in his use of color, imagery, and language. His work combines all three and often contains elements from history, art history, culture, and social and political commentary.

King Pleasure, the name of the exhibit, comes from a painting by the artists in 1987 referencing the name of a bebop-loving bartender turned jazz vocalist, whose first hit in 1952, Moody’s Mood For Love, catapulted him to fame. Frankie Crocker, a WBLS disc jockey played it at the close of his show every night in the early 1970s. Gerard, Jean-Michel’s father, liked the song and often listened to Crocker’s show. Jean-Michel created a painting by this name but it is not included in this exhibition.

It's important to note that his legacy has grown exponentially since the time of his passing and many in the art world who didn’t recognize his talent and genius during his lifetime have come around to truly appreciate his unique talent. His art resonates with all sorts of audiences because so many people can identify with what he is saying in his work, and his messages continue to resonate to this day. Since his death he has been included in hundreds of exhibitions and his fame is truly worldwide.