Both pioneers' primes were infamously cut short. Basquiat was 27 when he overdosed on heroin in 1988, one year after the passing of their close friend and mentor Andy Warhol. As a result, he was never able to experience the institutional recognition, cult following, or record-breaking sales statistics his work has since racked up. Before receiving an official diagnosis, Haring predicted he would pass away from the disease. He did so two years later, at the age of 31. Without any discussion, the painters would add layers to each piece of art in turn. Both artists appropriated pictures from various sources, including textbooks, magazines, newspapers, television, commercials, and even medical illustrations. Their interactions highlight how drastically different their artistic approaches and worldviews are. Warhol had been working on art projects with friends and assistants since the 1950s, but the paintings he created with Basquiat are special because he gave another artist the freedom to accurately reflect their own style on the same canvas as his Pop Art.
