As I walked into the “Basquiat x Bansky” exhibit at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., I expected to see an abundance of art by the two renowned artists. Instead, I was greeted by an underwhelming amount of art, in only three rooms. The exhibit felt too short and, in my opinion, is not worth your time.
“Basquiat x Banksy” includes the work of two of the most beloved street artists of the past half decade, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Bansky. The exhibit opened on Sep. 29, and closes on Oct. 26, 2025 and is free for visitors. The exhibit also includes a collection of 20 of Basquiat’s paintings and drawings that include his signature motifs, a crown and a skull.
Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1960, and started to do graffiti in his late teens. His edgy, raw and colorful work quickly gained recognition, but his career ended abruptly after his death at 27 years old. His art commonly addressed social issues that were personal to him and included aspects from different cultures that were important to him.
Basquiat’s piece featured in the exhibit entitled “Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump” was created in 1982. It is an oil on canvas painting that depicts a boy and a dog drawn as skeletons behind an open fire hydrant. The piece showcases Basquiat’s unique graffiti style.
“Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump” addresses social issues such as racism and portrays a memorable part of Basquiat’s childhood where open fire hydrants were a common occurrence as a Black boy in New York City.
The second artist featured in this exhibit is Bansky, who is a street artist who has been traveling the globe and creating art anonymously. He gained popularity for his elaborate artworks on trains and buildings in Bristol, England in the 1990s. Bansky focuses largely on political issues, which made his art more appealing to many.
Bansky’s displayed painting is called “Banksquiat. Boy and Dog in Stop and Search.” It is a response to Basquiat’s painting that depicts the same dog and person as in Basquiat’s painting. Rather than being behind a fire hydrant, they are being searched by police.
Bansksy’s painting is less colorful than Basquiat’s, showing the difference in tones between the works. Bansky’s painting depicts the racial inequalities that Basquiat faced during his life like how a joyous childhood moment of an open fire hydrant on a hot summer day could quickly turn into an encounter by police for people in the Black community in New York City. It also shows how the discrimination that Basquiat felt in his life is still present today.
The exhibit can captivate museum attendees with its well-known artists, but is not worth your time. The familiar paintings in the exhibit by Basquiat and Banksy may lead people to be interested in visiting, but with only three rooms and little art, it is not worth the trip to the National Mall.
