Jean-Michel Basquiat x Round21
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an artist whose work transcends time and space, making it only fitting to bring his art into every part of culture—including sports. As our third release in two years, this special edition Jean-Michel Basquiat x Round21 basketball showcases the iconic “Bird on Money” artwork on the canvas of sport.
STORY:
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1981 painting "Bird on Money" pays tribute to jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker, who went by the nickname “Bird”. Basquiat was an avid listener of jazz and cited Parker as one of his influences. The spontaneity of the composition mirrors that of Parker’s music, layering blocks of color with abstract shapes, arrows, and text, some of the artist’s signature motifs.
The Jean-Michel Basquiat x Round21 "Bird on Money" basketball comes fully inflated in a special collector edition display box. This exclusive basketball, also proudly sold at MoMA Design Stores worldwide, is an official men’s size (29.5) and weight.
Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York
THE ARTIST: JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
Jean-Michel Basquiat is one of the best known artists of his generation and is widely considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His career in art spanned the late 1970s through the 1980s until his death in 1988, at the age of 27.
Basquiat works are edgy and raw, and through a bold sense of color and composition, he maintains a fine balance between seemingly contradictory forces such as control and spontaneity, menace and wit, urban imagery and primitivism. The Basquiat brand embodies the values and aspirations of young, international urban culture.
The conjunction of various media is an integral element of Basquiat's art. His paintings are typically covered with text and codes of all kinds: words, letters, numerals, pictograms, logos, map symbols, diagrams and more, and featured multi-panel paintings and individual canvases with exposed stretcher bars, the surface dense with writing, collage and imagery.
THE DETAILS:
- Special edition premium official size basketball
- Intended for display
- Collector packaging with gold emboss lettering
- Premium composite leather cover basketball (as canvas)
- Only available at MoMA Design Stores worldwide and round21.com
- ©️ Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Licensed by Artestar NYC
Artist
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Collectible
Special Release
Rare
Sports + Fine Art
ROUND21 MISSION
Round21 takes sport beyond the game and art beyond the gallery, bringing both to the people. By creating products inspired by artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, we deliver limited-edition collectibles that celebrate both the beauty of the game and the power of iconic artwork. Each piece reflects our commitment to amplifying individuality and culture through sport.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
