A major retrospective of the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat is to open at the Art Gallery of Ontario on February 15, 2015.

The show will feature over 140 works from across the artist's career.

Dustheads set a world record for Basquiat's work at Christie's last year

Basquiat famously started his career as a graffiti artist on the streets of New York, before being boosted into superstardom.

Ultimately, he found the transition impossible to deal with and turned to heroin. He died of an overdose in 1988.

Dieter Buchhart, the show's curator, commented: "Basquiat's biggest breakthrough wasn't about success for himself but for a whole generation of black artists.

"This will be the first exhibition ever to consider his art thematically and that — in itself — represents a necessary change in how we appreciate his work.

"Now is the time for us to go beyond his personal story and consider his art, exploring how the images and symbols he co-opted from the streets have since spread into popular culture."

Basquiat's work is highly sought after among collectors. His auction record stands at $48.8m, following the sale of Dustheads in November last year.

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