In the late 1970s of New York, a musician, poet, and graffiti virtuoso by the name of Jean-Michel Basquiat was merely 20 when he had already honed his signature style of painting that many would learn to love and emulate for decades to come. His compulsive scribbling, mask-and-skull depictions, cryptic symbols, and elusive diagrams were drawn from a convergence of Caribbean heritage, African and Aztec culture, along with classical and contemporary themes and heroes of the craft.

Basquiat’s prolific work was often associated with Neo-expressionism and he had always used his voice to speak on social injustices, challenging the status quo. In a few years, he scaled to prominence, exhibiting alongside David Salle, Julian Schnabel, and even Andy Warhol, who became a mentor and idol. The two celebrated artists collaborated on a series of paintings before Warhol’s passing in 1987, and Basquiat was met with his own untimely death a year later at the age of 27.

His distinct style and use of vivid colours inspired individuals in every area of the creative sphere, which is no wonder cult beauty brand Urban Decay jumped on the opportunity to work on a collection when they were approached by the estate of Basquiat. Not only does the new collection pay homage to the late artist by using reproductions of his original artwork and trademark motifs on the packaging, it also features colours that were extracted from his work, topped off with product names inspired by his life.

It features three palettes for your eyes and cheeks, along with three new lip shades and three vibrant eye pencils. But quite possibly the best thing about the collection (to me, at least) is that each palette comes with a cutout on the back, so you can hang them on your wall to create a mini Basquiat gallery. Urban Decay’s iconic muse, Ruby Rose returns for this special edition and the marriage is indeed perfect. As a fan of Basquiat herself, Ruby Rose has his iconic crown tattooed on her midriff and a portrait of the artist on her arm. These limited edition items are housed in a special vault – a huge collector’s fantasy that shouldn’t be missed.

Urban Decay x Jean-Michel Basquiat Collection, available at Urban Decay stores and Sephora from May. 

Main image: Urban Decay