The artwork, “Dos Cabezas,” was created by Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1982 using acrylic and crayon on canvas. An exemplary piece of the Neo-Expressionism and Street Art movements, this figurative work measures 152.5 by 152.5 centimeters and currently resides in a private collection.
In “Dos Cabezas,” the viewer is confronted with two distinct, stylized heads rendered in Basquiat’s characteristically bold, raw, and expressive style. The left side of the canvas features a head with exaggerated facial features and prominent brushstrokes, utilizing a palette of muted, earthy tones. This side of the artwork evokes a sense of introspection and contemplation, emphasized by the hand gesture touching the face. In contrast, the right side of the canvas depicts a more abstract head with vibrant, dark lines and splashes of blue, creating a stark sense of dynamism and intensity. The juxtaposition of these two faces, both in style and color scheme, encapsulates Basquiat’s ability to convey complex emotional and psychological themes through his distinct visual language.