Haring, Keith (1958-1990), an American painter and sculptor, gained international recognition for his graffiti art. Graffiti art consists of paintings or inscriptions on public walls or other surfaces.
Haring created cartoonlike images that often glorified the street culture of American inner cities. His playful images included barking dogs, crawling babies, dancing figures, spaceships, robots, crosses, and light bulbs. His works ranged from chalk drawings on the walls of New York City subway stations to large murals for schools, hospitals, and other public buildings. He created much of his work spontaneously, sometimes in public. Haring also created large toylike sculptures and designed sets for plays and record album jackets.
Haring’s art seems innocent and high-spirited, but he conveyed serious social messages in his pictures. Among those messages were attacks on racism, warnings about the dangers of drug abuse, and pleas for safe sex. Haring claimed that his art was democratic because it was available to all viewers and its meanings were clear even to unsophisticated audiences.
Haring was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up in nearby Kutztown. In 1978, he moved to New York City. Haring developed his graffiti style by drawing pictures with white chalk on black paper that he pasted over blank advertising space on the walls of New York subway stations.
Haring died of an AIDS-related illness at the age of 31. Keith Haring Journals was published in 1996, after his death. These illustrated diaries provide insights into the development of his art.
