Independent Brussels 2018
ITEM(S), around a work by Jean-Michel Basquiat
8-11 November 2018

Hervé Bize is pleased to announce its participation in Independent Brussels 2018, with a specific project, built around the presentation of a previously unseen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat, executed in 1987, a year before the artist passed away in New York City.

In a context of deafening art market, focused on money, its power and where the temporality is only acceleration, it appears important to us to recontextualize one of his works, out of the strict field of the market and the auctions, in order to be able to consider a work of Basquiat, which moreover has never been exhibited, in the middle of other objects, certainly in a fair but where artworks are not gathered only for mercantile ends.

The history related to this painting, with its enigmatic character, also reminds us about the relationships that lead us to look into the work of an artist, gradually and patiently considering his approach: this painting was indeed acquired right after a collector visited the studio fot he artist, right at the time of its creation, and through a young 28 years old French gallery owner who just settled in New York City, Philippe Briet.

Thanks to the spirit of Independent, to this principle of by invitation fair, respecting the profiles and the position of the different galleries, we expect through this project that some would consider as “unusual”, to underscore our identity, our constant focus on art without a priori or categorization; asserting that the recognition of a gallery does not necessarily rhyme either with its location (or locations), its affiliations with market influencers, but simply highlighting the rigor and quality of the projects undertaken, the relationships of trust established over time of time, which allowed us to maintain integrity and independence as a guideline.

It should be noted that this project, exclusively linked to the 1980s — the other works which will enter into dialogue with the Basquiat painting are signed by Étienne Bossut, Jacques Charlier, Alain Jacquet, François Morellet and Ben Vautier — will also find a particular echo as the gallery will celebrate its 30th anniversary in a few months (it was opened in February 1989 by Hervé Bize then aged 22 years).