Bombay Sapphire Honors Basquiat's Artistry

Drawing inspiration from Jean-Michel Basquiat's time in Los Angeles, the Special Edition bottle features one of Basquiat's earliest works, his Untitled (L.A Painting). Never before licensed and only displayed to the public once, it is a masterpiece influenced by the surrounding remote environment of Venice Beach where Basquiat found security and solitude away from the distractions in New York in 1982.  

Exhibited in Basquiat's second ever show, the piece features many of the key motifs that are associated with his work: the crown, the bird, the coin and the skull which are all beautifully collaged over soft hues of blue. Through the social commentary behind his graffiti inspired artwork, Jean Michel created a global legacy and has greatly influenced modern and contemporary art.

The collaboration between Bombay Sapphire and the Basquiat Estate kicked off in April, when Bombay Sapphire became the official spirits sponsor of "King Pleasure," the Basquiat Estate's first ever family-run exhibit in New York City where over 200 never-before-seen pieces and rarely shown works of the artist are on display. Running through Jan. 1., 2023, the exhibit aims to help awaken artistic expression for people in different walks of life and honor Basquiat's legacy.

"We are honored to shine a light on Basquiat's dynamic creativity and offer an entirely new way to experience art," said Jaime Keller, Brand Director of Bombay Sapphire North America.  "This bottle represents our longstanding history of supporting creative visionaries in our mission to make the art world more accessible. Through the release of our third artist-designed Special Edition bottle, we are allowing people access to Jean-Michel Basquiat's art to be inspired by his work for generations to come."