Jean-Michel Basquiat — Flexible For Sale

Flexible

Flexible is a 24-color screenprint conceived by Basquiat in 1984 and printed posthumously in 2016, published by Flatiron Editions. The composition centers on a single, elongated figure — a skeletal, mask-like head with exposed teeth and piercing eyes, outlined in urgent strokes of red, black, yellow, and green — contained within a looping contour set against a pale, lined ground recalling notebook paper or institutional record-keeping.

The figure's exaggerated, stretched posture suggests both vulnerability and endurance, a tension reinforced by the title's implication of enforced adaptability. Basquiat's anatomical markings and fractured outlines evoke X-ray imagery and ritual masks in equal measure, connecting the body on the page to his broader, recurring interest in how Black bodies are viewed, classified, and pressured within social systems. The print's scale and formal ambition make it one of the more visually striking posthumous releases available to collectors today.

Published in an edition of 85 plus 15 artist's proofs, 15 hors commerce, 5 printer's proofs, and 1 bon à tirer, Flexible is one of the more technically ambitious posthumous Basquiat screenprints, its 24 separate color passes preserving fine gradations of the original 1984 composition. The depth of the proof categories and the large-format presentation have made Flexible a print consistently sought after by collectors building a serious Basquiat portfolio.

Guy Hepner offers authenticated Flexible prints for sale with full Estate provenance and condition documentation. To buy this print, sell an existing impression, or ask about current availability and pricing, contact our New York gallery — our team is glad to assist collectors at every stage of acquisition.