Basquiat Bearbrick - King Pleasure 400% & 100% Set - 11" (28cm) & 3" (7cm)

Produced in limited quantities, this collectible Bearbrick was made exclusively for the highly acclaimed Jean-Michel Basquiat King Pleasure exhibition in collaboration with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. 

This 400% set includes two Bearbricks (11" and 3" tall) featuring the iconic “Jawbone of an ass” artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat. A must-have for Bearbrick collectors, this set was only manufactured once and will never be reproduced.

Japanese Toy company MediCom Toy released the first Bearbrick in 2001 and since then these highly sought-after collectibles have grown in popularity worldwide. As the perfect cultural complement to Jean-Michel's playful side, this Bearbrick makes an incredible gift with a compelling backstory.

About the artwork:

Jawbone of an Ass, 1982 

Few of Basquiat's works demonstrate the extent of his vast cultural knowledge as effectively as "Jawbone of an Ass." Completed in 1982 (his most celebrated year) the piece references icons of antiquity and ancient cities, reinforced by Roman numerals. The viewer is challenged to make sense of the cacophonous collection of references through wordplay, words repeated and twisted, creating a lexical puzzle.

The painting presents a cyclical vision of history and the crown motif is ever-present, along with stars, explosions, and battling figures. The word asbestos appears in the painting with a possible alternative title of "Jawbone of an Asbestos" offering a parallel between the jawbone of an ass as a powerful weapon and asbestos as a weapon of corporate greed.

© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Licensed by Artestar, New York