Words Are All We Have: Paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat

This book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Words Are All We Have: Paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat at Nahmad Contemporary, New York. Curated by Dieter Buchhart, the exhibition focused on the artist’s creative use of language. Sampled, collaged, poetic, and political, words always played a critical role in Basquiat’s practice, from his writing as SAMO© through the later paintings and drawings.

The first half of the catalogue offers diverse interpretations of Basquiat’s use of text, with essays and poetry by Buchhart, Christian Campbell, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Carlo McCormick, Jordana Moore Saggese, and Greg Tate. The second half comprises plates of exhibited paintings and details, installation shots, and archival photographs of the artist with his works.