Miami has become the unexpected home for one of the most significant Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibitions in recent memory. The Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is now hosting “Basquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols,” a remarkable gathering of nine paintings and one sculpture from the legendary artist’s most celebrated period.
What makes this exhibition particularly meaningful is its location. Basquiat, who was born in Brooklyn to a Puerto Rican mother and Haitian father, created art deeply influenced by his Caribbean roots. Miami, with its vibrant diaspora communities that have shaped South Florida for nearly 150 years, provides the perfect backdrop to explore the cultural dimensions of his powerful visual language.
The collection features some of Basquiat’s most recognizable pieces, including “Pez Dispenser” from 1984, which showcases his famous crown motif atop a dinosaur figure, and “In Italian” from 1983, a complex layered composition filled with the symbols that defined his artistic vocabulary. All ten works come from the private collection of billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin, the Citadel founder who has long supported PAMM.
Museum director Franklin Sirmans emphasized that this exhibition invites viewers to move beyond seeing Basquiat merely as a pop culture icon or market phenomenon. Instead, visitors are encouraged to appreciate him as a self-taught master whose work explores themes of memory, migration, and cultural identity. The show also includes video footage of Basquiat discussing his own creative process.
“Basquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols” will remain open to the public through June 6, 2027, giving art lovers plenty of time to experience this extraordinary collection. For those interested in witnessing these masterpieces firsthand, ticket information and visiting hours are available on the PAMM website.
