Keith Haring- Voice Assignment
“In all my work there is some degree of content that is more obvious, communicating a specific or a general idea that people will get. But a lot of times the work is ambiguous enough that it can interpreted by whoever.” –Keith Haring.
Haring was part of the movement during the mid 70s to 90s, which featured pop culture street art on a larger scale; in galleries and museum. His extravagant graffiti murals and prints displayed bright or simple images that often conveyed a cultural or political message. Haring used his platform both a pop cultural figure and respected artist, to create murals in public places, previously not used for art. With a public spotlight on his simplistic, but renowned work, he spoke out on controversial issues such as; drug epidemics, HIV/ AIDS, apartheid, religion, homosexuality, and adultery. By depicting these societal splitting controversies in simple but straightforward manner, he spread awareness and often changed people’s perspectives.
This Untitled work from 1982 features two male figurines in love. In the early 80’s homosexuality was still a controversial topic, and Haring depicts this image with a bold and innocent approach. However later in his career he gained more fame and confidence, which provided him with the ability to display more graphic examples of these highly disputed topics he advocate for.
This Mural that is located on 128th St and 2nd Avenue in NYC, was painted by Haring on a handball court in 1986. Keith was clearly displaying the artistic creativity of the area, but more importantly, and obviously he was raising awareness for the drug epidemic destroying the surrounding population. Gradually, as he gained more exposure as a staple in the New York graffiti scene, he became more open and bold about his advocacy.
Haring’s political artwork gained so much popularity that he was requested by an art Museum in Berlin to decorate the Berlin Wall. Haring featured his iconic figurines interlocked at the hand and feet to signify unity between East and West Berlin. He also features the colors of the German flag, another signification of unity. However, some people did not appreciate his work, and it was eventually covered up completely and destroyed in 1991. Haring coined his simplistic figurines as a signature feature of his work all throughout the late 20th Century. Even though Haring passed away, his legacy as a philanthropic pop culture mogul lives on today. Much like his artistic legacy, The Keith Haring Foundation continues to provide awareness and grants for children in need or HIV/ AIDS victims. Haring used his platform in the pop culture realm and high profile art world, to speak for a wide variety of injustices or people in need. His simplistic style of work spoke for those who could not take a stand for themselves, and inspired others to take a stand for a change.
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