5 Things You Didn’t Know About Keith Haring
Inspired by the vibrancy of Pop art, the political undertones of street art and the ever-changing landscape of New York City, Keith Haring was an icon of the 1980s art scene. His simplified depictions of people, hearts, babies and dogs defined his artistic legacy. In spite of the minimalist nature of his drawings, he was able to convey an incredible profundity, depth and nuance in his works. Artupia, therefore, brings you five things you didn’t know about the artist.
1. His artworks got him arrested
At the beginning of his whirlwind career, Keith Haring would use chalk to draw on the walls of the New York subway. Haring’s drawings became so popular they turned into live paintings, and crowds gathered to watch the artist at work. Despite their popularity, the NYPD arrested him several times; however, upon arriving at the station he was usually released due to the officers being big fans of his work!
2. His AIDS diagnosis and homosexuality inspired his work
His openly-gay status was still relatively taboo in the 80s, yet this didn’t stop him integrating symbols and celebrations of homosexuality into his works. In 1988, Haring was tragically diagnosed with AIDS, and used his art to raise awareness of the disease. Pink triangles, elementary lines and vibrant colour schemes defined his posters, after he was inspired by (and later joined) a group of activists called ‘Act Up’. The group coined the phrase ‘Silence = Death’ which featured on Haring’s posters, and utilised the recurring motif of a pink triangle in their campaigns. The pink triangle was integral to the movement as it was…
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