The artwork “Liberty” by Jean-Michel Basquiat, created in 1983, is an exemplar of Neo-Expressionism and Street Art. This figurative piece is part of “The Daros Suite of Thirty-Two Drawings” and is housed in the Daros Collection in Zürich, Switzerland. The medium consists of acrylic, charcoal, crayon, pastel, and pencil, and it measures 57 by 76.5 cm.
The artwork is a vivid and complex composition merging various elements and symbols. The background is predominantly filled with red hues, creating a sense of intensity and urgency. Scattered text and phrases, such as “Federal Reserve Note,” “Roosevelt Ten Cent Piece,” and “Petrol,” intertwine with anatomical drawings and other graphic notations. The piece features a mixture of chaotic lines and shapes, which evoke a sense of raw energy and emotional spontaneity. Basquiat’s signature style is evident in the rough, sketch-like quality and incoherent yet thought-provoking jumble of words and images, suggesting themes of economic critique, political commentary, and cultural references.
