Emerging and Beyond

Early photographs of Jean-Michel Basquiat take center stage in a Miami Art Week exhibition that brings rarely seen archival material into public view.

Emerging and Beyond, presented at The Moore in the Design District, showcases The 12th Street Experiment, Alexis Adler’s 1979-1980 photographs documenting Basquiat at a formative moment in his development. Shot while Adler and Basquiat lived together in the East Village, the images capture the young artist experimenting with materials, testing ideas and forging the visual language that would shape his later work. Recently acquired by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, these photographs are being exhibited publicly for the first time since joining the museum’s collection.

The exhibition also includes works by 18 contemporary artists connected to the wider cultural currents Basquiat influenced, such as David Driskell and Romare Bearden. Produced by The Bishop Gallery in Brooklyn, the presentation situates the archival photos within a broader conversation about artistic emergence and lasting impact.

The show launches with a VIP opening on December 3 and is open to the public December 4-8 at The Moore during Miami Art Week.