Tag: KEITH HARING

Keith Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from New York City’s 1980s graffiti subculture. His animated imagery became a widely recognized visual language, often infused with sexual themes that evolved into social activism, advocating for safe sex and AIDS awareness.

Haring gained recognition for his spontaneous subway drawings—chalk outlines of figures and symbols on blank advertising spaces. As his popularity grew, he transitioned to larger, colorful murals, many commissioned or created voluntarily for hospitals, schools, and community centers. Between 1982 and 1989, he produced over 50 public artworks. In 1986, he expanded his artistic reach by opening the Pop Shop. His later works tackled pressing social issues, including anti-apartheid, anti-drug messaging, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Beyond solo exhibitions, Haring participated in prestigious group shows such as documenta in Kassel, the Whitney Biennial, the São Paulo Biennial, and the Venice Biennale. The Whitney Museum held a retrospective of his work in 1997.

Haring died of AIDS-related complications in 1990. His legacy continues through posthumous honors, including his induction into the Rainbow Honor Walk in San Francisco and the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at the Stonewall National Monument in New York.