Keith Haring

(American, 1958-1990)

“Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.”
— Keith Haring

Outspoken social rights activist Keith Allen Haring was one of the most prolific American pop artists. His paintings grew out of the NYC street culture of the 1980s. He was a painter, a street artist, an activist and a fervent HIV/AIDS awareness movement advocate, and his passions overlapped into a unified whole. He was known for whipping up colorful and artistic murals on New York streets, subway stations, and even cars.

Haring was born in May of 1958 in Reading, Pennsylvania. He showed a passion for art early in his life, and drew cartoons with his father, inspired by the media around him, like Disney and Dr. Seuss. After graduating high school in 1976, Haring attended the Ivy School of Professional Art located in Pittsburgh. Haring realized he had little interest in commercial arts after two semesters and dropped out, and held a solo exhibit at the Pittsburgh Arts and Crafts Center.

He relocated to New York City in 1978 to continue building on his career. He discovered an alternative group of artists in the downtown streets, subways, and clubs and befriended Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf and Madonna, among others. While in New York he also attended the School of Visual Arts where he played with video, collage, and installation, but ultimately committed to drawing. He used the New York subway system as a sort of laboratory, leaving pop art drawings in chalk on unused advertising panels, developing an interesting connection with street art, while differing from graffiti. Haring’s desire was always that the public would have access to his art and so he opened his Pop Shop in Soho. Although the store received backlash for moving his iconic style from public space appropriation into an enterprise, the artist was determined to allow his work to be available to people of all incomes. “I mean, I don’t know what they intended me to do: Just stay in the subway the rest of my life? Somehow that would have made me stay pure? By 1984 the subway thing started to backfire, because everyone was stealing the pieces. I’d go down and draw in the subway, and two hours later every piece would be gone. They were turning up for sale,” Haring said. His concept was that those who enjoyed his art in subways would be able to take it home with them. However, despite some criticism, Pop Shop did receive much support from family, friends, fans, and friend and mentor Andy Warhol.

As his popularity grew, opportunities arose around the world, and he began to travel extensively in 1982. He created more than 50 pieces of public art in dozens of cities worldwide over the next seven years for charities, hospitals, and orphanages. Australia, Brazil, Italy, and the Netherlands all hosted his work. He was asked to paint a mural on the Berlin Wall. He also completed the mural on New York’s FDR Drive Crack is Wack, inspired by a friend battling drug addiction. He also taught workshops for children in schools and museums. Haring also created album covers, set designs, and stage decorations, often for charitable causes.

Haring’s time here was unfortunately brief. He tested positive for HIV and AIDS in 1988. The AIDS epidemic increased rapidly through the 1980s, peaked in the early 1990s, and then declined. One of his many notable works, Silence=Death, created shortly before his passing in 1990 at age 31, uses the fuchsia triangle synonymous with AIDS activism. The same way the Nazis labeled Jews in the 1930s and ‘40s with a gold star, they labeled homosexuals with a pink triangle. The pink triangle was repurposed during the gay liberation movement in the 1970’s, and the now-iconic fuchsia triangle had its color deepened and direction changed before becoming the instantly recognizable AIDS activism symbol it is now.

His legacy of balancing artistry, political activism, and charity without sacrificing success has endured. He has become a star of the LGBTQ community and was commemorated in the famous AIDS memorial quilt. His path gave hope to other urban artists, showing that mainstream success was possible. His iconic style is often used by large brands like Lacoste, Adidas, and UNIQLO. Today Haring’s work continues to be the subject of exhibitions around the world. The Whitney Museum, MoMA, and Stedelijk Museum are just some of the many major institutions that hold his work.

American Fine Art, Inc. is proud to feature the original works and limited editions of Keith Haring. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona or call today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. To learn more about collecting, pricing, value, or any other art information, please contact one of our International Art Consultants. We look forward to giving you the one on one attention you deserve when building your fine art collection. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.