The painting Untilted was created in January 1982 while Basquiat was working and living in the basement of Annina Nosei Gallery who gave him his first solo show in March 82.

Annina Nosei sold the painting to the art collector Phoebe Chason for 5000 dollars.

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The comment of Basquiat is based on a 1982 interview (during his show at the fun gallery) where he said “my first instinct is to do a head” and then a later quote “I start a picture and I finish it. I don’t think about art while i work. I try to think about life.”

The art critic Glenn OBrien of Art Forum had seen a group show of 1981 with Basquiat and had written “This is a tidal wave of art, about to reduce the entire art world to limp rubble…here, art is based on life, not on art. The public might like it.” .

Sources: Annina Nosei Gallery, Sothebys.com

Jean Michel and Annina, 2019, Acrylic on canvas, 14" x 11" (36 x 28 cm)