A new exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art<\/a> in Denmark puts a spotlight on this aspect of the artist\u2019s oeuvre in Headstrong, the first comprehensive showcase dedicated to Basquiat\u2019s heads. On view from January 30 to May 17, the exhibition focuses in the years in which these pieces were made, 1981-1983, widely regarded as of the most prolific and experimental periods of his career.\n<\/p>\n Moving between the caricaturesque, abstract and anatomical, these works explore the tension between surface and psyche, and collectively map the spectrum of emotion and identity, ranging from invisibility to the affect of Basquiat\u2019s own rise to art superstardom.\n<\/p>\n 1 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 2 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 3 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 4 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 5 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 6 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 7 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 8 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 9 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n 10 of 10<\/p>\n Photo: Camilla Stephan \/ Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art\n<\/p>\n Works on paper played a central role in Basquiat\u2019s practice, and the drawings in Headstrong, most of which were executed in rich oil stick, stand out for their intensity, immediacy and gesture. Graced with flecks of dirt and shoe scuffs, these pieces were completed on the floor and largely kept private during his lifetime. Together, they offer rare insight into the evolution of a single motif while raising questions about their personal and conceptual function for the artist.\n<\/p>\n As Sophia Heriveaux, the artist\u2019s niece, wrote in No More Rulers\u2019 recent book<\/a>, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Head \u2013 The Mind, these works invite viewers to engage with Basquiat not as a myth, but a \u201cfellow human mind,\u201d opening space to reconsider how they connect to his broader explorations of power, race and representation at a time when Black artists were afforded little visibility.\n<\/p>\n A corresponding Headstrong catalogue will be available via the museum, and features new interviews with contemporary artists Arthur Jafa<\/a>, Julie Mehretu<\/a>, Dana Schutz and Alvaro Barrington<\/a>, alongside George Condo<\/a>, a friend and contemporary of Basquiat. Head to the museum\u2019s website<\/a> for more information on the show.\n<\/p>\n![\"Basquiat](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/01\/29\/jean-michel-basquiat-headstrong-louisiana-museum-modern-art-d.jpeg\")
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