The Field Next to the Other Road
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| The Field Next to the Other Road | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Jean-Michel Basquiat |
| Year | 1981 |
| Medium | Acrylic, enamel spray paint, oilstick, metallic paint and ink on canvas |
| Movement | Neo-expressionism |
| Dimensions | 220.9 cm × 401.3 cm (87.0 in × 158.0 in) |
| Location | Private collection |
The Field Next to the Other Road is a 1981 painting created by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. It sold for $37.1 million at Christie's in May 2015.[1]
The Field Next to the Other Road was executed in 1981, an important year in Basquiat's career, in which he made the transition from a street artist to an established gallery artist in New York's downtown art scene.[2] Basquiat was invited to Modena, Italy by art dealer Emilio Mazzoli after he saw his work at New York's MoMA PS1 in February 1981.[3] In Modena, Basquiat commenced a series of paintings for his first solo exhibition at Galleria d'Arte Emilio Mazzoli in May 1981.[4] Among the paintings created was The Field Next to the Other Road, a depiction of skeletal man walking a cow.
In May 2015, the painting sold for $37.1 million at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York.[1] In December 2015, the painting was still owned by the consignor, art dealer Tony Shafrazi.[5] In February 2016, Christie's sued art dealer Jose Mugrabi, and Mugrabi family firm, the Jombihis Corporation, for $32.1 million (plus interest and fees).[6][7] Jose Mugrabi had bid on a client's behalf when he won the painting, but the client backed out of the sale and the Mugrabis missed two deadlines to pay the remaining balance.[8] Christie's and the Mugrabis reached an amicable settlement in March 2016—with Mugrabi taking ownership of the painting and agreeing to pay his bill in full.[8]