Keith Haring

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Keith Haring

Name	Keith Haring
Birth name
Birth date	May 4, 1958
Birth place	Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death date	February 16, 1990
Death place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater
Occupation
Years active
Organization
Known for	Painting, drawing, graffiti art
Notable works	Radiant Baby, Crack is Wack, Untitled (1982)
Spouse(s)
Website

Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art and graffiti-like work grew out of the New York City street culture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual language". Much of his work includes sexual allusions that turned into social activism by using the images to advocate for safe sex and AIDS awareness.

Early Life and Education

Haring was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and was raised in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. He developed a love for drawing at a very young age, learning basic cartooning skills from his father and from popular culture such as Dr. Seuss and Walt Disney.

In 1976, Haring enrolled in the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh, a commercial arts school. However, he soon realized that he had little interest in becoming a commercial graphic artist and dropped out after two semesters. He moved to New York City in 1978 to attend the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

Career

In New York, Haring found a thriving alternative art community that was developing outside the gallery and museum system, in the downtown streets, subways, and spaces in clubs and former dance halls. He became friends with fellow emerging artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf.

Haring first received public attention with his public art in subways, where he created white chalk drawings on the black, unused advertisement backboards. These were his first recognized pieces of pop art. The exhibitions were often filmed by the photographer Tseng Kwong Chi.

Subway Drawings

Haring's subway drawings were quick, spontaneous, and often humorous. They were meant to be seen by the public, and they were often erased by the authorities. However, they gained him a lot of attention and led to his first solo exhibition in 1981 at the Westbeth Painters Space.

The Radiant Baby

One of Haring's most famous symbols is the "Radiant Baby", which became a symbol of his work. The baby, often depicted with lines radiating from it, represents purity, potential, and innocence.

Social Activism

Haring was openly gay and was a strong advocate for safe sex and AIDS awareness. In 1988, he was diagnosed with AIDS, and he established the Keith Haring Foundation in 1989 to provide funding and imagery to AIDS organizations and children's programs.

Legacy

Haring died on February 16, 1990, of AIDS-related complications. His work continues to be highly influential, and his imagery is recognized worldwide. The Keith Haring Foundation continues to support organizations that address issues related to AIDS, children, and the arts.

Also see

• Pop art
• Street art
• Jean-Michel Basquiat
• Andy Warhol
• Graffiti