Keith Haring, an artist, was born on May 4, 1958, in Pennsylvania. From a very young age, he developed an interest in art and would draw cartoons with the help of his father. After graduating high school in 1976, he took admission at the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh. Within completion of two semesters, he realized he did not have the inclination to become a commercial artist. In 1978, Haring enrolled himself at New York’s School of Visual Arts, where he became acquainted with the emerging art community and got to know artists, musicians, performance artists, and graffiti writers.
In 1980, he found a very different medium to express his art to the public. To create his chalk drawings, he began to make use of the unused advertising panels covered in matte black paper, found in subways. From 1980 to 1985, he created hundreds of these drawings in the subways of New York. He received fame through his drawings, as they struck a chord with New York commuters. Keith Haring’s solo exhibition was held at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in 1982. He participated in over 100 solo and group exhibitions around the world. Keith Haring devoted a lot of his time to public work, with an attached social message.
“Crack is Wack”, a mural created by this legendary artist, is a landmark along the FDR drive in New York. Keith Haring began designing watches for Swatch, and in 1986, he opened a Popshop where he began selling T-shirts, toys, posters, and buttons that bore his image. The store allowed common people access to his work. Keith Haring was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988. He started the Keith Haring Foundation with an intention of providing funds and creating awareness among AIDS-affected victims. The artist succumbed to AIDS on February 16, 1990. |
