MADE IN MANHATTAN: Keith Haring

Since first entering the New York public's consciousness through his Subway drawings (dubbed colloquially as Chalkboy), Keith Haring went on to be one of the most important artists of the 1980's. His life-affirming, energetic figures are full of a boundless sense of youth which has seen the artist move from the underground into the collections of prestigious institutions and collectors worldwide.

Born in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in 1958, Haring was inspired by figures such as Walt Disney and Dr Seuss to start drawing as a child. The basic cartoon drawing that he developed, inspired by these two icons of Americana and his father, led him to the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh, a commercial arts school, where he became disinterested in commercial art and pursued a career as a graphic artist, dropping out after two semesters. 

Moving to New York in the 1978, he became friends with fellow artists Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as the musicians, performance artists and graffiti writers that comprised the burgeoning art community. 

Haring was swept up in the energy and spirit of this scene and began to organise and participate in exhibitions and performances at Club 57 and other alternative venues. Taking on the subjects of his era, still pertinent to this day, AIDS, drugs and the "other",  Haring's unique style brings a vibrancy and energy, almost childlike, to these serious issues.

Taking to the subways and streets, Haring's formulative visual language began to take shape before it was codified into the dogs, dancing figures, crawling babies and other beloved figures so highly desirable today.

Throughout the 1990's the energy in Haring's figures was only matched by his prolific output where that artist would produce worldwide public murals and studio works at an astonishing pace. Firmly rooted in his belief that "Art is for everyone" Haring would go on to challenge both the accessibility of art to the general public as well as the gallery model through his Pop Shop exhibitions which allowed the public access to his works,

Throughout his career, Haring devoted much of his time to public works, which often carried social messages. He produced more than 50 public artworks between 1982 and 1989, in dozens of cities around the world, many of which were created for charities, hospitals, children’s day care centers and orphanages.

Sadly short-lived, his career and longevity have transcended popular culture into the canon of art. Inherently human, touching with a frantic sense of the "now" his works seem to capture all of human existence in their bold and defiant expression. 

During a brief but intense career that spanned the 1980s, Haring’s work was featured in over 100 solo and group exhibitions. By exploring universal concepts of birth, death, love, sex and war, using a deft line and directness of message, Haring was able to reach a wide audience and assure the accessibility and staying power of his imagery, which has become a globally recognised visual language of the 20th century.