KEITH HARING

Rising to prominence in the early 1980s, Keith Haring was an American artist renowned for his vivacious paintings, murals and his use of a distinctive pop graffiti technique. Drawing from traditional street art, Keith Haring’s artworks feature a combination of bold imagery and bright, contrasting colours that instantly grab the attention of viewers. Firmly believing that ‘art is for everybody’, Haring made his artwork as accessible as it is memorable, by creating art in both public spaces and at a range of affordable prices. Subsequently, during his lifetime Haring attracted a wide audience and became a household name whose artwork remains both instantly and globally recognisable. Born in 1958 in Reading, Pennsylvania, Keith Haring was surrounded by a rich visual culture from a young age. Fascinated by popular cartoons created by Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss, Haring learned basic drawing skills from his father who worked as an amateur cartoonist. As he got older, Haring decided to pursue a career in graphic art. He studied briefly at the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh before dropping out and realising that he had little interest in becoming a commercial artist. Instead, Haring enrolled in the School of Visual Arts in New York and on moving to the East Village in the city’s bustling centre, he discovered a burgeoning artistic community developing outside established gallery and museum spaces. He soon immersed himself in the city’s graffiti culture, befriending artists such as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. These relationships, particularly that with Andy Warhol, proved to be a significant factor in his future success. Following Haring’s graduation from the School of Visual Arts in 1980, the artist began participating in numerous group and solo exhibitions, garnering international attention.

Screenprint 106 x 131 cm

Edition of 100