Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Sabado por la Noche (1984) will headline Christie’s 20th/21st century evening sale in Hong Kong on March 28th, coinciding with Art Basel Hong Kong for the first time. Estimated at HK$95 million–HK$125 million (US$13 million–$16 million), the frenetic painting, awash in vivid hot pinks and deep blood reds, is an immersive masterpiece. Ranking among the most iconic works in Basquiat’s oeuvre, this monumental 1984 piece, measuring an impressive 195.6 x 223.5 cm (77 x 88 inches), exemplifies his signature fusion of text, iconography, and human figures. It radiates raw energy and embodies his bold, visionary artistic style.
In “Sabado por la Noche” (Saturday Night), Basquiat constructs a vibrant tapestry of cultural influences, prominently featuring two ‘Griot’ figures—emblems of West African storytelling—intertwined with street art aesthetics and anatomical references. His intellectual curiosity saturates the composition, evident in embedded paper sheets bearing symbols of the solar system, Fibonacci’s golden ratio, and the words ‘knowledge,’ ‘truth,’ and ‘birth,’ alongside the recurring visual language of doubled gyres and spirals.
“It is a privilege to present Sabado por la Noche (Saturday Night), an iconic masterpiece that reverberates with Basquiat’s inimitable visual language. From the record-breaking sale of Warrior in 2021, to major exhibitions in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul, Christie’s has been cultivating the Asian market for Basquiat for many years. His powerful work transcends borders and speaks to collectors all over the world, and this sale in Hong Kong is a testament to the demand we see in the region for Western masterpieces of this calibre. We encourage our clients and audiences to come and experience the passionate pulse of Basquiat’s Saturday Night in person.” commented Ada Tsui, Head of Evening Sale, 20th/21st Century Art, Christie’s Asia Pacific.
Yusaku Maezawa, the Asian collector and billionaire, still holds the record for the highest-priced Basquiat painting sold at auction, having acquired “Untitled” (1982) for $110.5 million at Sotheby’s contemporary art evening sale in New York in May 2017. The public preview will take place from March 25 to 27 at Christie’s Hong Kong, leading up to the live auction on March 28.
