Martin Wong Semaphore East gallery New York 1985 (announcement)

1985

Robert Colescott Semaphore 1980: Rare original 1980s announcement card published on the occasion of Robert Colescott's exhibition at Semaphore Gallery from January 6 - January 31, 1980; 462 West Broadway, New York, NY. Features an offset illustration of Colescott's work "The Collector (Tea for Two)" from 1980. Medium: Offset printed gallery announcement card. Approximate Dimensions: 4 x 6 inches Good overall vintage condition. Post marked on the reverse. Unsigned from an edition of unknown. Robert Colescott was an African-American artist known for his expressionistic paintings which dealt with his identity and Black history. In his work George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook (1975), Colescott humorously conflated the famous Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze painting of George Washington with the pioneering African-American chemist. Born Robert H. Colescott on August 26, 1925 in Oakland, CA, he played instruments and saw the work of his parents’ friend Sargent Johnson as well as Diego Rivera painting...

Basquiat: Vrej Baghoomian gallery New York, 1989: Vintage original folding announcement card to Jean-Michel Basquiat at Vrej Baghoomian Gallery New York: 10/21 to 11/25, 1989. Pictured on front side is an image of Basquiat's iconic, 'Red Warrior.' A rare, highly collectible Basquiat ephemera piece that works well in any collection. Off-set printed gallery announcement. 8.75 x 5.75 inches (folded closed). Light signs of handling; otherwise very good overall vintage condition. Published by Vrej Baghoomian Gallery, New York, 1989. Unsigned from an edition of unknown. Scarce. Jean-Michel Basquiat rose to success during the 1980s. Basquiat’s paintings are largely responsible for elevating graffiti artists into the realm of the New York gallery scene. His spray-painted crowns and scribbled words referenced everything from his Haitian and Puerto Rican heritage, to political issues, pop-culture icons, and Biblical verse. The gestural marks and expressive nature of his work not only aligned him with the street art of Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf, but also the Neo-Expressionists Julian Schnabel and David Salle. “If you wanna talk about influence, man, then you've got to realize that influence is not influence,” he said of his process. After quickly rising to fame in the early 1980s, Basquiat was befriended by many celebrities and artists, including Andy Warhol, with whom he made several collaborative works. At only 27, his troubles with fame and drug addiction led to his tragic death from a heroin overdose on August 12, 1988 in New York, NY. The Whitney Museum of American Art held the artist’s first retrospective from October 1992 to February 1993. Related Categories: Basquiat Tony Shafrazi. Basquiat ephemera. Basquiat poster. Basquiat prints...

Mystery East Village New York School Expressionist Untitled, 1995 Mixed media 44 1/2 x 47 x 2 1/2 in. Signed, dated & inscribed verso

This original poster, designed in 1987 by renowned graphic designer Seymour Chwast, was created for LaGuardia Community College (CUNY) as part of its “College for Children” initiativ...