HARING, Keith

Using a simple palette of red and blue, Haring's striking series uses the two colours separately until the last print where purple makes an appearance, bringing a wonderful conclusion to the narrative. The bold swathes of red and blue create an intense dichotomy between the figural and the abstract, bringing to life Haring's vision of connecting with his audience through simplified, expressive works.

Bridging the gap between the art world and the street, Keith Haring rose to prominence in the early 1980s with his graffiti drawings made in the subways and on the sidewalks of New York City. Combining the appeal of cartoons with the raw energy of Art Brut artists like Jean DuBuffet, Haring developed a distinct pop-graffiti aesthetic centred on fluid, bold outlines against a dense, rhythmic overspread of imagery like that of babies, barking dogs, flying saucers, hearts, and Mickey Mouse. In his subway drawings and murals, explored themes of exploitation, subjugation, drug abuse, and rising fears of nuclear holocaust, which became increasingly apocalyptic after his AIDS diagnosis.