{"product_id":"god-law-jean-michel-basquiat","title":"God, Law - Jean-Michel Basquiat","description":"\u003cp\u003eA raw, graphic work by Jean-Michel Basquiat from 1981, exploring the intersection of morality, law, and capital through stark text and symbolic imagery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJean-Michel Basquiat produced this work in 1981, a period when his transition from street-based graffiti to the gallery environment was fully underway. The composition features a set of scales, a traditional symbol of justice, positioned above two distinct boxes containing the words GOD and LAW. Between these two concepts, Basquiat places a dollar sign, suggesting a critique of the intersection between morality, legal systems, and capital.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe aesthetic relies on a raw, immediate application of oilstick. The lines are deliberately unrefined, echoing the urgency of his earlier work under the tag SAMO. The background is marked by splatters and stains, which provide a sense of physical decay or urban grit. This texture contrasts with the stark, legible lettering of the text elements. By isolating these words within boxes, Basquiat forces a direct confrontation between the viewer and the concepts presented.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBasquiat often utilised text as a visual element rather than merely a linguistic one. The placement of the dollar sign at the centre of the scales implies that financial influence tips the balance of justice. The work avoids complex shading or perspective, favouring a flat, graphic quality that draws from both comic books and primitive art. This approach allows the message to remain clear while maintaining the energetic, chaotic surface typical of his output during the early 1980s. The work functions as a visual shorthand for the societal tensions Basquiat observed in New York City, where institutional power and economic disparity were constant themes in his practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/dialogue-with-the-youth-of-today-detail-martin-kippenberger\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eDialogue with the Youth of Today (detail) - Martin Kippenberger — Martin Kippenberger\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/wood-variation-ii-per-kirkeby\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eWood-Variation II - Per Kirkeby — Per Kirkeby\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Jean-Michel Basquiat","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861656047951,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861663617359,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861663650127,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861663682895,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/God-Law_Poster_CompositorV1_1790149912476.jpg?v=1790150734","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/god-law-jean-michel-basquiat","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}