MAY 2010
inside look: the
foundation
the
foundation artists’ non profit organization still contributes 20+ years after death.
20% off paints with this ad
IN THIS GLOBAL CALL TO
ACTION p.8
MERCH FIGHT AIDS WITH POP ART for a cause p.10
aids awareness: take action now p.11 2
pop ART SUPPLIES
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the
foundation
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What I like about children is their imagination.
WHAT
IT IS
e h t f o n o i The miss n o i t a d n u o F g n i r a H h Keit oundation F g n i r a H h t of the Kei the The mission nd protect a , d n a p x e s in, art, and hi s is to susta i h , g n i r eith Ha ts not-forr o p legacy of K p u s n o i Foundat children, t s i s ideals. The s a t a h uzations t volved in ed profit organi n i s n o i t a z i . rgan ated to AIDS l as well as o e r e r a c d n arch a y contributed l s u cation, rese o r e n e g ) 0 1958-199 us causes. o r e m u Keith Haring ( n o t s e nd resourc reh children, c his talents a t i w s p o h s k r o art w service agen c He conducted i l b u p r o f s d poster ated logos an
cies, and produced murals, sculptures, and paintings to benefit health center s and disadvantaged communities. In 1989, Keith establis hed a foundation to ensure that his philanthropic legacy would continue inde finitely. The Keith Haring Foundation makes grants to not-for-profit gr oups which engage in charitable and educational activities.
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and care with spect to AIDS HIV infection. Keith Haring add ally charged the dation with mai ing and protecti artistic legacy “sustah F in e h T . h t a e d s i expand & tion maintains protect� lection of art
In accordance with Keith's Foundation the wishes, giving its concentrates in two areas: The support of o r g a n i z a t i o n s w h i c h educational provide o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o und erpri vil ege d chi ldr en and the sup por t of org ani zat ion s whi ch eng age in res ear ch and car e wit h res pec t to AID S and HIV inf ect ion .
Kei th Har ing add iti ona lly charged the Foundation with maintaining and protecting his artistic legacy after his death. The Foundation maintains a collection of art along wit h arc hiv es which facilitate historical research about the artist and the times and places in which he lived and worked. The Foundation supports arts and educational funding by institutions educational exhibitions, programs, acquisitions and publications that serve to contextualize and illuminate the artist's work and philosophy.
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GLOBAL CALL TO
ACTION Keith Haring's face-to-face with aids leads him to raise awareness for disease.
In 1986,
Keith opened his Pop Shop on Lafayette Street in SoHo, where Keith Haring T-shirts, caps, buttons, prints, inflatable babies, and many other Haring-designed products would be sold. This was a very bold step, because it lay Keith open to charges of having sold out and becoming commercial. But following the advice and encouragement of his friend, Andy Warhol, Keith went through with the idea. He said, "I wanted to continue the same sort of communication as with the subway drawings. With the Pop Shop I wanted to attract the same wide range of people, and I wanted it to be a place where not only collectors could come, but also kids from all over and everywhere.
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During the time that Keith had been rising in the art world, he had lost a number of close friends to the fatal disease of AIDS. Toward the end of 1988, he noticed a purple spot on his leg, a sign of an AIDS-related cancer called Kaposi’s sarcoma. His doctors confirmed that he, too, had AIDS. At first, it did not affect his work habits or his hectic travel schedule. But as the disease progressed, he became weaker and weaker until he was barely able to hold a pen. "At first you’re completely wrecked," Keith said. "You go through a major, major upset. So the first thing you do
is, you kind of break down. I went over to the East River on the Lower East Side and just cried and cried and cried. But then you have to get yourself together and you have to go on. You realize it’s not the end right then and there - that you have to continue and you’ve got to figure out how you’re going to deal with it and confront it and face it." "You can’t despair," Keith continued, "because if you do, you just give up and you stop. To live with a fatal disease gives you a whole new perspective on life. Not that I needed any threat of death to appreciate life, because I’ve always appreciated life. I’ve always believed that you live life as fully and as completely as
you can. Actually, I’ve always felt that if you have a long life, it’s a gift - and you’re lucky if that happens to you. But there’s no reason to count on it. Keith Haring died of AIDS on February 16, 1990. He was 31 year old. At a memorial service, his sister Kay gave a moving tribute to her brother. "I remember that Keith was always drawing," she said. "It was his hobby, his pastime, his vehicle of expression, his very being. So, you see, it has always seemed to me that the brother I grew up with is the same brother that all of you know. Only the neighborhood get-togethers became the Manhattan club scene; the art projects with kids grew to include thousands and thousands of youths; his generous nature reached to touch virtually millions; and the canvas on which he drew became the whole world."
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MERCH for a cause
Shepard Fairey
created this limited edition Keith Haring tee (using a Patrick McMullan photo as inspiration, it has been cleared) to honor Keith’s memory and bring attention to AIDS Walk.
Join the fight against AIDS and remember Keith Haring. 2010 Marks the 20th anniversary of Keith’s untimely death from AIDS. Please lend your support by making a donation to the 2010 AIDS Walk in his memory. If you donate $50 or more AND you walk on May 16th, you will receive a unique, limited edition t-shirt featuring artwork by Shepard Fairey based on a portrait of Keith by Patrick McMullan, shirts donated by OBEY Clothing.
FIGHT AIDS WITH POP ART
now
aids awareness: take action
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is the lead for this day. web site contains fact sheets, statistics, press releases, talking points and media tools and allows you to view HVAD bilingual print ads and listen to bilingual radio spots.
th MAY 18 Also visit
bethegeneration.nih.gov
to find local events and more resources.
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always classic.
always cool.
always