Augustus William Haring Paintings

Augustus William 'Keith' Haring was an American artist whose pop art and graffiti-like work grew out of the New York City street culture of the 1980s. Born on May 4, 1962, in Reading, Pennsylvania, and raised in nearby Kutztown, Haring developed an interest in art at an early age. He was influenced by his father, who was an amateur cartoonist, and his early passion for drawing was shaped by cartoon and pop culture imagery.

Haring moved to New York City in 1978 to attend the School of Visual Arts (SVA). He quickly became a fixture in the burgeoning East Village art scene, alongside contemporaries such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf. Haring was drawn to the energy of the street culture and started to create public art in empty subway stations, where he would draw with white chalk on the unused advertisement blackboards.

His public work became iconic for its bold lines, vivid colors, and active figures. Haring's art was often heavily political, addressing themes such as apartheid, the crack cocaine epidemic, and the AIDS crisis. He was openly gay and his activism is evident in his work which frequently explored sexuality and social issues. In 1986, Haring opened the Pop Shop, a retail store in Soho selling T-shirts, toys, posters, and other items featuring his work, which was another way to make his art more accessible to the public.

Tragically, Keith Haring's life and career were cut short when he died on February 16, 1990, of AIDS-related complications at the age of 31. Despite his brief career, Haring's legacy is enduring. His work continues to be displayed in exhibitions around the world and his influence is seen in the work of countless artists and activists. The Keith Haring Foundation was established in 1989, the year before his death, with the mandate to provide funding and imagery to AIDS organizations and children’s programs, and to expand the audience for Haring’s work through exhibitions, publications, and the licensing of his images. Haring has been the subject of several posthumous retrospectives, and his works command high prices in the art market. He remains an important figure in contemporary art for his unique contribution to the visual language of the 20th century and his advocacy for social justice.