Jean-Michel Basquiat’s monumental 1983 painting 'Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)' is set to headline Sotheby’s Contemporary Evening Auction in May 2026. Estimated to fetch in excess of $45 million, the work is appearing at auction for the first time in over a decade. Before the sale, the canvas will undergo a global tour with stops at the Breuer building in New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and London.
The sale of this work is a significant market event due to its provenance and institutional history, having been featured in major retrospectives at the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Brant Foundation. Created during Basquiat's most acclaimed period, the painting serves as a biting critique of institutional gatekeeping and the commercialization of art. Its high estimate reflects the enduring demand for the artist's large-scale 1980s masterpieces which continue to anchor the top end of the contemporary art market.