Fine Art Poster
From $29
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
50 Cent Piece - Jean-Michel Basquiat
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A complex 1983 composition by Jean-Michel Basquiat, featuring dense text, anatomical diagrams, and historical critiques of colonial power structures.
Jean-Michel Basquiat created 50 Cent Piece in 1983, a period when his work frequently engaged with themes of colonial history, economic exploitation, and the African diaspora. The composition functions as a dense map of information, combining anatomical diagrams, historical references, and commercial iconography. Basquiat employs a raw, urgent application of oilstick and acrylic, creating a visual language that mimics the frenetic pace of urban life and the fragmented nature of historical records.
The work features recurring motifs such as the Bank of Jamaica, references to Marcus Garvey, and notes on the industrialisation of Haiti. Basquiat juxtaposes these political subjects with clinical labels like 'cerebrum' and 'motor area', suggesting a connection between the physical body and the broader body politic. The text-heavy surface acts as a critique of power structures, with phrases like 'U.S. occupation of Haiti' appearing alongside diagrams of the Ark and various trademarked symbols.
Visually, the piece is characterised by its lack of traditional perspective, favouring a flat, layered arrangement that forces the viewer to navigate the canvas like a document. The colour palette is deliberate, using stark black lines against a neutral ground to ensure the text remains the primary focus. By integrating these disparate elements, Basquiat constructs a narrative that questions how history is recorded and who controls the dissemination of information. The work remains a primary example of his ability to synthesise complex socio-political commentary with a distinct, gestural aesthetic.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
50 Cent Piece - Jean-Michel Basquiat
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Jean Michel Basquiat
Basquiat was painting on the streets of lower Manhattan before he was twenty. He started as one half of SAMO, a graffiti duo with Al Diaz that tagged cryptic, sardonic phrases across downtown New York: 'SAMO as an end to mindwash religion, nowhere politics and bogus philosophy.' When the partnership ended, he wrote 'SAMO IS DEAD' on the walls and moved on.
He had no formal art training. He dropped out of school at seventeen and slept on park benches and friends' floors. He sold hand-painted postcards and t-shirts. He gate-crashed a restaurant where the critic Henry Geldzahler was eating with Andy Warhol and handed them a postcard. Warhol bought one. The art world opened.
By twenty-one he was showing in galleries. By twenty-two he was the youngest artist ever invited to Documenta in Kassel. The paintings are dense, layered, furious: text fragments, anatomical drawings, crown symbols, crossed-out words, references to Black history, jazz, boxing, anatomy textbooks, and street signage. They look unplanned but they are not. The crossed-out words are deliberate. He wanted you to read them, then register the erasure.
He and Warhol collaborated on a series of paintings in 1984 and 1985. The relationship was complicated by the art market's tendency to treat Basquiat as Warhol's protege rather than his peer, and by the fact that Warhol, older and more established, got better reviews for the joint work. Basquiat pulled away.
He died of a heroin overdose in 1988, at twenty-seven. His paintings now sell for over 100 million dollars. He would have found that both satisfying and absurd.
He had no formal art training. He dropped out of school at seventeen and slept on park benches and friends' floors. He sold hand-painted postcards and t-shirts. He gate-crashed a restaurant where the critic Henry Geldzahler was eating with Andy Warhol and handed them a postcard. Warhol bought one. The art world opened.
By twenty-one he was showing in galleries. By twenty-two he was the youngest artist ever invited to Documenta in Kassel. The paintings are dense, layered, furious: text fragments, anatomical drawings, crown symbols, crossed-out words, references to Black history, jazz, boxing, anatomy textbooks, and street signage. They look unplanned but they are not. The crossed-out words are deliberate. He wanted you to read them, then register the erasure.
He and Warhol collaborated on a series of paintings in 1984 and 1985. The relationship was complicated by the art market's tendency to treat Basquiat as Warhol's protege rather than his peer, and by the fact that Warhol, older and more established, got better reviews for the joint work. Basquiat pulled away.
He died of a heroin overdose in 1988, at twenty-seven. His paintings now sell for over 100 million dollars. He would have found that both satisfying and absurd.
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Fine Art Framed
From $89
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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