NEW YORK.- Doyle set a new World Auction Record for Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1983 print Back of the Neck on November 1, 2023. International bidding drove the large-scale, hand-colored screenprint soaring over its estimate to achieve $1,119,000 -- a record price for the print.

1983 was an important year for Basquiat. He was included in that year’s Whitney Biennial, following his 1982 solo shows at the Annina Nosei Gallery in New York and Gagosian in Los Angeles. From an edition of 24 prints and 3 artist’s proofs, Back of the Neck was consigned by the Estate of a Prominent New York Chef.

The highly-anticipated auction of Prints & Multiples Including ‘80s NYC took place in New York following preview exhibitions in Doyle’s galleries on both coasts. In celebration of the 1980s theme, Doyle commissioned a special ‘80s NYC logo for the sale from the Bronx-born artist CRASH, also known as John Matos, one of the godfathers of Graffiti art. It was the third original work by CRASH commissioned by Doyle, the prior two being murals for Doyle’s Bronx warehouse in 2017 and Hayloft Auctions’ warehouse in 2021.

Determined competition throughout the auction sent the sale total beyond expectations and achieved auction records for several other artists. A 1985 mixed media collage by Buster Cleveland set a world auction record for the artist, a 1984 print by Rammellzee set a world auction record for any print by the artist, and a 2009 color screenprint by Helen Frankenthaler set a world auction record for the print.