Why Ken Griffin鈥檚 first Basquiat exhibition was always meant for PAMM
By Michelle F. Solomon | ArtburstMiami
July 1, 2026 at 11:41 AM EDT
A new exhibition at P茅rez Art Museum Miami didn鈥檛 begin with the idea of a collector lending paintings to a museum. It began with a realization.
Megan Kincaid, curator of the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection, recalled that shortly after joining the team, she was looking at the collection with its owner when she saw more than a remarkable group of paintings. Something stood out.
鈥淵ou have a Basquiat show on your hands. This is ready to go. This is museum quality.鈥
That realization became 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols,鈥 which opened Thursday, June 25, and will be on view for nearly a year through Sunday, June 6, 2027.
The exhibition brings together 10 works by Jean-Michel Basquiat from the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection in the first public exhibition drawn from the collection. Spanning works created between 1982 and 1985, Kincaid said the exhibition functions as 鈥渁 kind of retrospective鈥 of Basquiat鈥檚 most significant period.
For both the collector and the curator, there was never any doubt where that exhibition belonged.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, 鈥淯ntitled (Yellow Tar and Feathers),鈥 1982, is one of 10 works in 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols鈥 from the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection opening Thursday, June 25 at P茅rez Art Museum Miami and on view for nearly a year. (1200x1284, AR: 0.9345794392523364)
鈥淲ithout question, it was always going to happen for Ken at the P茅rez,鈥 said Kincaid, who is co-curator of 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols.鈥 鈥淚t was the right venue, and Miami was where he wanted to stage an exhibition of this kind. It鈥檚 important to remember that this is the first time Ken鈥檚 ever presenting a section of his collection as a show with his name on it, and it was decisive and important that the show take place in Miami.鈥
The Right Place at the Right Time
The decision reflected more than geography. It reflected a relationship that had been taking shape since Griffin moved Citadel鈥檚 headquarters from Chicago to Miami in 2022. The move returned the Florida native鈥攂orn in Daytona Beach and raised in Boca Raton鈥攖o his home state. Two years later, his $10 million gift to PAMM established the Kenneth C. Griffin Gallery, which now hosts the first public exhibition drawn from his collection.
鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols鈥 represents a watershed moment for Miami鈥檚 cultural landscape. It is the first public exhibition drawn from one of the world鈥檚 premier private Basquiat collections, presented at a museum whose director, Franklin Sirmans, has spent more than three decades studying the artist, and it arrives as Miami continues to establish itself as an international art destination.
For Sirmans, PAMM鈥檚 director and co-curator of the exhibition, the moment is about more than one collector or one museum. It鈥檚 another chapter in Miami鈥檚 cultural evolution.
鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly fortunate,鈥 Sirmans said. 鈥淭his is a really fascinating moment to think about how the landscape is being enriched by new people coming in.鈥
There was another draw that made PAMM the perfect fit. Sirmans has spent more than three decades studying Basquiat, beginning with his undergraduate thesis while at Wesleyan University and continuing through major exhibitions that have shaped scholarship on the artist, including co-curating the 2005 landmark show 鈥淏asquiat鈥 at the Brooklyn Museum, which traveled to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
鈥淚f you could pick a museum director in the country to curate a Basquiat show, it would be Franklin,鈥 Kincaid remarked.
Why Basquiat Endures
Sirmans said there are many reasons why more than three decades after his untimely death from a drug overdose in 1988 at the age of 27, Basquiat remains one of the defining artists of the late 20th century.
鈥淭he work at its core is about humanity,鈥 Sirmans said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about people and times and eras of human beings.鈥
Born in Brooklyn to a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother, Basquiat drew on a wide range of cultural references that shaped both his life and his work. For Sirmans, those influences give the exhibition a particular resonance in Miami.
鈥淲e have three different languages in the gallery alone鈥 Creole, Spanish and English鈥 there aren鈥檛 that many American cities where you think about language in the same way that you do here.鈥
While the artist鈥檚 work resonates with audiences around the world, Miami鈥檚 deep Caribbean and Latin American cultures, central to the city鈥檚 identity, may allow many visitors to connect in a deeper way.
鈥淚 think it can sound trite sometimes when you say, 鈥榊es, he is a Black person, his father was from Haiti, his mother was from Puerto Rico.鈥 All those aspects are part of it. They鈥檙e not the end-all and be-all, but I think they are something that makes the presence of not only the artist, but the work speak to that kind of heritage, that kind of upbringing,鈥 Sirmans explained.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, 鈥淯ntitled (Tenant),鈥 1982. (1024x837, AR: 1.2234169653524491)
One notable omission among the works is 鈥淏oy and Dog in a Johnnypump,鈥 considered one of the crown jewels of Griffin鈥檚 collection. Kincaid calls the 1982 work a tour de force of the collection, and of Basquiat鈥檚 entire career. 鈥淭he only reason it is not in the show here is because it is in another exhibition that Ken has supported at the Hirshhorn Museum (in Washington, D.C.).鈥 The private sale made headlines when Griffin acquired the painting for more than $100 million in 2020, making it one of the most valuable Basquiat works in any private collection.
But rather than keeping it tucked away, Kincaid said this reinforces Griffin鈥檚 philosophy of making the collection accessible.
鈥淚鈥檓 very lucky to work for a collector who has the vision to share his collection with the public,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here was the exhibition in terms of content, and there was this vision to make this work accessible. There鈥檚 the vision as a collector and the vision as one of civic responsibility.鈥
That same philosophy shaped the exhibition itself.
鈥淚t was absolutely a decision to present as much as we could, and we want people to feel empowered to make their own personal choice about what they like best,鈥 Kincaid said. 鈥淭o over-curate the exhibition would have been a bit of a disservice.鈥
Looking Closely
Along with the nine works, the exhibition includes a sculpture known as 鈥淯ntitled (Box)鈥 鈥 though Kincaid noted that 鈥渃rate鈥 is probably a more accurate term. The piece revealed a surprise when it was brought to PAMM.
鈥淭his was one work we acquired with this show in mind when we were offered it and it came to our attention, and it鈥檚 centered in the gallery,鈥 Kincaid said, noting that it highlights another aspect of Basquiat鈥檚 artistic practice through his use of found and assemblage materials. 鈥淲e were able to open it for the first time here.鈥
The work first debuted publicly in 1985 in a highly unusual setting: the legendary Area nightclub in New York City, where a famous photograph captured Basquiat himself sitting atop the crate.
In a previous life, the wooden crate had been used by artist Robert Rauschenberg, widely regarded as the father of assemblage art in the United States, to house and transport his paintings before Basquiat incorporated it into his own work.
鈥淚t is an art historical object where Basquiat is commenting on his own lineage and place within the canon of American art,鈥 Kincaid said. 鈥淚t is a super special object in that it has so many layers of meaning and significance.鈥
Sirmans said it is that kind of layering that will be eye-opening for visitors when they are face to face with the works.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the awe of standing in front of great paintings and I think that is what鈥檚 going to be revelatory for a lot of people who only know (Basquiat) from reproductions. What it is to be standing in real time and be among others in the space of the gallery who are all contemplating the work for a moment in time. These paintings demand that kind of slow experience.鈥
WHAT: 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols鈥 from the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection
WHEN: Opens Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 6, 2027. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
WHERE: P茅rez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.
COST: $18, $14 for seniors 62 and older, students, and children 7 to 18; children under 6, free admission. Other free admission for military, healthcare, first responders, Florida educators, and disabled visitors and an accompanying caregiver. Admission is free from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday.
INFORMATION: 305-375-3000 and
is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don鈥檛 miss a story at .
Megan Kincaid, curator of the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection, recalled that shortly after joining the team, she was looking at the collection with its owner when she saw more than a remarkable group of paintings. Something stood out.
鈥淵ou have a Basquiat show on your hands. This is ready to go. This is museum quality.鈥
That realization became 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols,鈥 which opened Thursday, June 25, and will be on view for nearly a year through Sunday, June 6, 2027.
The exhibition brings together 10 works by Jean-Michel Basquiat from the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection in the first public exhibition drawn from the collection. Spanning works created between 1982 and 1985, Kincaid said the exhibition functions as 鈥渁 kind of retrospective鈥 of Basquiat鈥檚 most significant period.
For both the collector and the curator, there was never any doubt where that exhibition belonged.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, 鈥淯ntitled (Yellow Tar and Feathers),鈥 1982, is one of 10 works in 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols鈥 from the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection opening Thursday, June 25 at P茅rez Art Museum Miami and on view for nearly a year. (1200x1284, AR: 0.9345794392523364)
鈥淲ithout question, it was always going to happen for Ken at the P茅rez,鈥 said Kincaid, who is co-curator of 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols.鈥 鈥淚t was the right venue, and Miami was where he wanted to stage an exhibition of this kind. It鈥檚 important to remember that this is the first time Ken鈥檚 ever presenting a section of his collection as a show with his name on it, and it was decisive and important that the show take place in Miami.鈥
The Right Place at the Right Time
The decision reflected more than geography. It reflected a relationship that had been taking shape since Griffin moved Citadel鈥檚 headquarters from Chicago to Miami in 2022. The move returned the Florida native鈥攂orn in Daytona Beach and raised in Boca Raton鈥攖o his home state. Two years later, his $10 million gift to PAMM established the Kenneth C. Griffin Gallery, which now hosts the first public exhibition drawn from his collection.
鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols鈥 represents a watershed moment for Miami鈥檚 cultural landscape. It is the first public exhibition drawn from one of the world鈥檚 premier private Basquiat collections, presented at a museum whose director, Franklin Sirmans, has spent more than three decades studying the artist, and it arrives as Miami continues to establish itself as an international art destination.
For Sirmans, PAMM鈥檚 director and co-curator of the exhibition, the moment is about more than one collector or one museum. It鈥檚 another chapter in Miami鈥檚 cultural evolution.
鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly fortunate,鈥 Sirmans said. 鈥淭his is a really fascinating moment to think about how the landscape is being enriched by new people coming in.鈥
There was another draw that made PAMM the perfect fit. Sirmans has spent more than three decades studying Basquiat, beginning with his undergraduate thesis while at Wesleyan University and continuing through major exhibitions that have shaped scholarship on the artist, including co-curating the 2005 landmark show 鈥淏asquiat鈥 at the Brooklyn Museum, which traveled to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
鈥淚f you could pick a museum director in the country to curate a Basquiat show, it would be Franklin,鈥 Kincaid remarked.
Why Basquiat Endures
Sirmans said there are many reasons why more than three decades after his untimely death from a drug overdose in 1988 at the age of 27, Basquiat remains one of the defining artists of the late 20th century.
鈥淭he work at its core is about humanity,鈥 Sirmans said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about people and times and eras of human beings.鈥
Born in Brooklyn to a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother, Basquiat drew on a wide range of cultural references that shaped both his life and his work. For Sirmans, those influences give the exhibition a particular resonance in Miami.
鈥淲e have three different languages in the gallery alone鈥 Creole, Spanish and English鈥 there aren鈥檛 that many American cities where you think about language in the same way that you do here.鈥
While the artist鈥檚 work resonates with audiences around the world, Miami鈥檚 deep Caribbean and Latin American cultures, central to the city鈥檚 identity, may allow many visitors to connect in a deeper way.
鈥淚 think it can sound trite sometimes when you say, 鈥榊es, he is a Black person, his father was from Haiti, his mother was from Puerto Rico.鈥 All those aspects are part of it. They鈥檙e not the end-all and be-all, but I think they are something that makes the presence of not only the artist, but the work speak to that kind of heritage, that kind of upbringing,鈥 Sirmans explained.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, 鈥淯ntitled (Tenant),鈥 1982. (1024x837, AR: 1.2234169653524491)
One notable omission among the works is 鈥淏oy and Dog in a Johnnypump,鈥 considered one of the crown jewels of Griffin鈥檚 collection. Kincaid calls the 1982 work a tour de force of the collection, and of Basquiat鈥檚 entire career. 鈥淭he only reason it is not in the show here is because it is in another exhibition that Ken has supported at the Hirshhorn Museum (in Washington, D.C.).鈥 The private sale made headlines when Griffin acquired the painting for more than $100 million in 2020, making it one of the most valuable Basquiat works in any private collection.
But rather than keeping it tucked away, Kincaid said this reinforces Griffin鈥檚 philosophy of making the collection accessible.
鈥淚鈥檓 very lucky to work for a collector who has the vision to share his collection with the public,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here was the exhibition in terms of content, and there was this vision to make this work accessible. There鈥檚 the vision as a collector and the vision as one of civic responsibility.鈥
That same philosophy shaped the exhibition itself.
鈥淚t was absolutely a decision to present as much as we could, and we want people to feel empowered to make their own personal choice about what they like best,鈥 Kincaid said. 鈥淭o over-curate the exhibition would have been a bit of a disservice.鈥
Looking Closely
Along with the nine works, the exhibition includes a sculpture known as 鈥淯ntitled (Box)鈥 鈥 though Kincaid noted that 鈥渃rate鈥 is probably a more accurate term. The piece revealed a surprise when it was brought to PAMM.
鈥淭his was one work we acquired with this show in mind when we were offered it and it came to our attention, and it鈥檚 centered in the gallery,鈥 Kincaid said, noting that it highlights another aspect of Basquiat鈥檚 artistic practice through his use of found and assemblage materials. 鈥淲e were able to open it for the first time here.鈥
The work first debuted publicly in 1985 in a highly unusual setting: the legendary Area nightclub in New York City, where a famous photograph captured Basquiat himself sitting atop the crate.
In a previous life, the wooden crate had been used by artist Robert Rauschenberg, widely regarded as the father of assemblage art in the United States, to house and transport his paintings before Basquiat incorporated it into his own work.
鈥淚t is an art historical object where Basquiat is commenting on his own lineage and place within the canon of American art,鈥 Kincaid said. 鈥淚t is a super special object in that it has so many layers of meaning and significance.鈥
Sirmans said it is that kind of layering that will be eye-opening for visitors when they are face to face with the works.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the awe of standing in front of great paintings and I think that is what鈥檚 going to be revelatory for a lot of people who only know (Basquiat) from reproductions. What it is to be standing in real time and be among others in the space of the gallery who are all contemplating the work for a moment in time. These paintings demand that kind of slow experience.鈥
WHAT: 鈥淏asquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols鈥 from the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection
WHEN: Opens Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 6, 2027. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
WHERE: P茅rez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.
COST: $18, $14 for seniors 62 and older, students, and children 7 to 18; children under 6, free admission. Other free admission for military, healthcare, first responders, Florida educators, and disabled visitors and an accompanying caregiver. Admission is free from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday.
INFORMATION: 305-375-3000 and
is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don鈥檛 miss a story at .