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Keith Haring was an American artist and activist who became known for his highly stylized figures and symbols, particularly in the street art scene. His works often deal with social and political issues.
- Name: Keith Haring
- Date of birth: May 4, 1958
- Place of birth: Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
- Date of death: February 16, 1990
- Place of death: New York City, USA
- Nationality: American
- Art style: Pop Art, Street Art
- Known works: “Radiant Baby”, “Crack is Wack”, “Untitled”
- Techniques: Painting, graffiti, drawing
- Influences: Jean Dubuffet, Pierre Alechinsky, Andy Warhol
- Similar artists: Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein
- Exhibitions: Exhibitions at the Whitney Museum, MoMA, and worldwide
- Special features: Haring used his art for social activism, particularly in relation to AIDS and social injustice
Keith Haring's iconic figures and social activism made him a defining figure in the modern art world.
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Biography
Childhood & Youth
Keith Haring was born on May 4, 1958 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the neighboring town of Kutztown. Even as a child, Haring showed a strong affinity for art. He was inspired by his father, an amateur cartoonist, and the popular cartoon characters of the 1960s. Haring developed an early passion for drawing, especially comics and cartoons, and created his own characters and stories at a young age.
After leaving school, Haring began studying graphic design at the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh in 1976, but soon realized that this commercial direction did not meet his expectations. He broke off his studies and instead devoted himself more intensively to fine art. During this time, he discovered the work of artists such as Jean Dubuffet, Pierre Alechinsky and the writings of the philosopher William S. Burroughs, which strongly influenced his artistic development.
Move to New York and rise in the art scene
In 1978, Keith Haring moved to New York City to study at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). At this time, New York was the epicenter of the up-and-coming street art and graffiti scene, which greatly inspired Haring. He immersed himself in the city's subculture and made friends with other artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf. In the subways and streets of New York, Haring developed his unique style: simple, striking lines depicting iconic figures, symbols and animals.
In the early 1980s, Haring began his famous “Subway Drawings” - large-format chalk drawings on the blank billboards in subway stations. These pictures are characterized by fast, intuitive lines and quickly made him famous in the New York art scene. Although his works originally came from street art, they merged early on with elements of “high art”, making Haring a bridge between the worlds of graffiti art and the established art world.
Breakthrough: symbols and social messages
Haring experienced his artistic breakthrough in the early 1980s. His works are characterized by an unmistakable iconic style: thick, black contour lines depicting stylized figures, dogs, hearts, babies and other recurring symbols. These simple yet powerful images are instantly recognizable and convey an approachable, positive energy at first glance. But behind the colorful, almost childlike images often lies a deeper, socially critical message.
A central motif in Haring's work is the “radiant baby”, which he uses as a symbol of life, innocence and the future. But subjects such as violence, abuse of power and social injustice also run through his entire oeuvre. Haring consciously uses his art as a mouthpiece for political and social issues. In particular, the fight against racism, homophobia and support for AIDS awareness became central components of his art.
In 1982, Haring presented his first solo exhibition at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York, which was a great success. At this time, his works were just as present in the New York club scene as they were in established galleries and museums. He also worked on large-scale public murals and installations that underlined his desire to make art accessible to everyone.
Public art and commercial success
One of the keys to Haring's success is his ability to create public art. He paints large-scale murals on buildings in New York, and over the course of his career has created major murals in cities around the world, including the famous Crack is Wack mural (1986) on a highway in Harlem and the Tuttomondo mural (1989) in Pisa, Italy. These works often address current social problems and manage to appear simple and complex at the same time.
Another milestone in Haring's career is the opening of his Pop Shop in Manhattan in 1986, where Haring sells posters, T-shirts and other items with his motifs. He is criticized for this step into commercialization by parts of the art world, but for Haring this is a way of making his art democratically accessible. He sees no contradiction in presenting his pictures both in galleries and on everyday objects. Rather, this corresponds to his desire to create art for the masses, regardless of social or economic background.
Fight against AIDS and social commitment
From the mid-1980s, Haring became increasingly involved in the fight against AIDS, a disease that hit the New York art and LGBT community particularly hard at the time. After he himself was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, Haring stepped up his commitment. He used his art as a mouthpiece to draw attention to the epidemic and its devastating effects. In his later works, the confrontation with illness, death and mortality became increasingly present, without losing the characteristic optimism of his visual language.
In 1989, he established the Keith Haring Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting AIDS education, research and prevention projects. The foundation also supports disadvantaged children and promotes art programs. Despite his own illness, Haring remained artistically active until his death and continued to paint large, energetic works that evoked hope and community.
Legacy and aftermath
Keith Haring died of AIDS on February 16, 1990 at the age of just 31. His death leaves a huge gap in the art world, but his influence is unbroken. Haring leaves behind a significant body of work that stands out both for its visual simplicity and its deeply rooted social messages.
Haring's work lives on through his iconic motifs, which are instantly recognizable even decades after his death. His images, which often address universal themes such as love, sexuality and social justice, have a timeless relevance. They are an expression of a tireless commitment to equality and access to art for all. The Keith Haring Foundation continues Haring's legacy by continuing to support projects that address AIDS, art and children's rights.
His works are now exhibited in the world's most prestigious museums and collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Tate Modern in London. Keith Haring remains a prominent figure in Pop Art and Street Art, whose mission to unite art and social message has inspired generations.
Exhibitions
- 12.11.2021 – 17.04.2022 Keith Haring – Palazzo Blu, Pisa.
- 27.06.2019 – 10.11.2019 Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines – NGV International, Melbourne.
- 16.06.2018 – 04.11.2018 Keith Haring. The Alphabet – Albertina Museum, Vienna.
- 03.05.2019 – 15.09.2019 Keith Haring – Tate Liverpool.
Awards
- 1989 Art against AIDS Award - posthumously for Haring's activism and commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS
- 1990 Awarded posthumously by the Japan Art Academy for his socially critical artworks
Films
- The Universe of Keith Haring, Documentary, Christina Clausen, 90 Min, USA, 2008.
- Keith Haring: Street Art Boy, Documentary, Ben Anthony, BBC, 2020.
Literature
- Keith Haring, Darren Pih, Berlin 2020.
- Keith Haring, 1958-1990. Ein Leben für die Kunst, Alexandra Kolosse, Cologne 2018.
- Keith Haring, Posters, Jürgen Döring, Claus von der Osten, Munich 2017.
Collections
USA
- New York - The Museum of Modern Art
- Los Angeles – The Broad
France
- Paris – Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris
Japan
- Yamanashi – Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
