{"product_id":"to-repel-ghosts-jean-michel-basquiat","title":"To Repel Ghosts - Jean-Michel Basquiat","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking 1986 work by Jean-Michel Basquiat, featuring bold white text on a dark, multi-slatted wooden surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJean-Michel Basquiat created To Repel Ghosts in 1986, a work that demonstrates his characteristic approach to combining text and raw, gestural mark-making. The piece is constructed on wood, incorporating the physical structure of the support into the final composition. The surface is dominated by deep, dark bands of black paint, which provide a stark background for the central text. The phrase 'TO REPEL GHOSTS' is rendered in a bold, hand-painted white typeface, positioned centrally to command attention. A small 'TM' symbol sits to the right of the text, introducing a layer of commercial irony often found in Basquiat's work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbove the text, a patch of white paint reveals a glimpse of blue, suggesting a sky or an atmospheric element that contrasts with the heavy, industrial feel of the black slats. The composition is deliberately sparse, moving away from the dense, chaotic layering seen in many of his earlier canvases. Instead, this work relies on the tension between the literal meaning of the words and the physical presence of the wooden slats. The artist often used text as a visual device, treating letters as shapes and symbols rather than purely linguistic tools. By framing the work within the wooden structure, Basquiat invites the viewer to consider the object as both a painting and a sculptural entity. The work reflects his interest in the intersection of high art, street culture, and the commodification of identity. It remains a direct example of his ability to distil complex cultural anxieties into a singular, graphic statement.\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=\"\/sv\/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=\"\/sv\/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":58861592379727,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861647233359,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861647266127,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58861647298895,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/To-Repel-Ghosts_Poster_CompositorV1_1790149487189.jpg?v=1790149998","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/sv\/products\/to-repel-ghosts-jean-michel-basquiat","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}