Price of Gasoline in the Third World - Jean-Michel Basquiat

A 1981 Neo-expressionist work by Jean-Michel Basquiat, featuring his signature raw line quality, layered text, and fragmented figurative imagery.

Produced in 1981, Price of Gasoline in the Third World is a large-scale work that demonstrates the characteristic visual language of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The composition is divided into two distinct sections by a heavy black vertical bar, a technique the artist employed to manage the density of his imagery. The surface is crowded with a mixture of figurative sketches, anatomical diagrams, and handwritten text, creating a layered effect that mimics the urban environment of New York City during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Basquiat utilises a combination of acrylic paint and oilstick to construct his figures. The line quality is raw and immediate, reminiscent of the graffiti tags he produced under the pseudonym SAMO. The work incorporates specific motifs, such as the haloed figures and skeletal forms, which recur throughout his oeuvre. These elements are placed alongside schematic drawings of buildings and road signs, including the word 'MUJER' (woman) prominently displayed in a black box. The inclusion of text serves as a graphic element rather than a narrative guide, forcing the viewer to engage with the work as a collection of signs and symbols. The palette is largely restricted to black, white, and muted tones, with occasional splashes of yellow and red. This restraint allows the complexity of the mark-making to remain the primary focus. The work functions as a visual archive of the artist's observations, blending personal iconography with broader social commentary. By juxtaposing disparate images, Basquiat creates a tension between the chaotic nature of the composition and the deliberate placement of each element. This piece remains a representative example of his ability to synthesise high art traditions with the visual vernacular of the street.