Jean-Michel Basquiat:
The Making of an Icon

The first biography in more than a quarter century―based on more than 100 interviews―adds significant new information to the story both of Jean Michael Basquiat's life and to the extraordinary journey of his art.

In a resurrection few could have predicted, Jean-Michel Basquiat joined Picasso, Modigliani, and Munch when one of his paintings sold for more than $100 million. Nearly four decades after his untimely death at 27 years of age, Basquiat is one of the most recognizable artists in the world, his work not just headlining major museum and private collections but his image on T-shirts, sneakers, tattoos, and accessories from Rio to Singapore.

Drawing on more than 100 interviews―including family members, friends, lovers, gallery owners, collectors, musicians, academics, and artists―art-world insider Doug Woodham offers a revealing account of Basquiat's life, work, and enduring legacy. He delves into Basquiat’s rich and complex family background, his overlapping identities, and the dramatic arc of his posthumous fall and rise―an ascent that has reshaped the art-world itself. This behind-the-scenes narrative pulls back the curtain on how the art world selects its icons and cements their place in history.

The first substantive biography in more than a quarter century, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Making of an Icon examines key aspects of the artist's life―his childhood trauma, sexuality, cultural identities, and struggles with addiction―topics long downplayed in the museum and art world due to pressure from his estate. Woodham also uncovers the previously untold story of how a few against-the-grain speculators and gallerists―plus his uniquely skilled father―all contributed to bringing what Basquiat accomplished back to the center of the conversation nearly a decade after his death, and in the process helped to birth a new era in contemporary art.

Art Collecting Today:

Market Insights for Everyone Passionate About Art

Whether you're a seasoned collector, an art-world insider, or just beginning your journey, this book demystifies the art market and provides the knowledge needed to navigate it with confidence. Those previously deterred by the art world's opacity will gain the insight necessary to participate fully and make informed decisions. Readers will learn:

  • How to evaluate, buy, and sell art while avoiding costly mistakes and unnecessary roadblocks

  • How the market operates for key artists, including René Magritte, Christopher Wool, Amedeo Modigliani, and Yayoi Kusama

  • Why U.S. tax laws favor ‘art investors’ but penalize ‘art collectors’

  • How collectors can be taken advantage of, and the actions they can take to protect themselves

Drawing on nearly 100 interviews with collectors, lawyers, art advisors, gallerists, and auction specialists—as well as the author's own experiences—this book offers a lively, thought-provoking analysis of the fine art market’s inner workings.

PRAISE FOR ART COLLECTING TODAY

"Mr. Woodham’s book is an elegant, amusing and perceptive guide to a market that is (often) long on hocus-pocus and short on transparency."

“Doug Woodham’s introduction to the market is both insightful and accessible.”

“Mr. Woodham’s book contains startling information about the number of people in the market for the world’s most expensive art.”