At some time in the mid-1980s, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Oswal Martin Marsant made a trade. Jean-Michel asked for one of Oswal’s sketches; subsequently, Jean-Michel offered a painting he had created to Oswal. The painting by Jean-Michel has not been seen in public for almost three decades. Why has this painting been hidden from the public for so long? We unravel this mystery in the video.
The current co-owner, Michael J. Mahoney, was himself searching for the painting’s provenance. Michael received the painting from Oswal, his friend who is an artist and promoter of the arts. However, Michael did not learn the full story of the painting’s acquisition until 2018.
This short video documents Oswal’s history, the trade, Michael and Oswal’s friendship, and the current quandary: how to authenticate a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting, given that there is currently no official authentication process for Basquiat’s work?
The video features an interview recorded in February 2019 in Miami, Florida. Documented research and conversations with Oswal and Michael took place from 2018 to 2019. A short video about the painting will be released in 2020. Stay tuned!
The video is available via Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/375518022 or YouTube: https://youtu.be/PYl_xpDrVU4
Duration: 32 minutes