Keith Haring
Born on the 4th of May, 1958 in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
1977/78 school of arts, Pittsburgh. 1978 the formerly “recalcitrant” and rather timid child, Keith Haring broke off his sutides of commercial art and went to New York at the “School of Visual Arts”. Though home he felt in the pubs and clubs of young coloured persons in East village where lifestyle was influenced by punk, breakdance rap and… graffiti.
Though the catalogue of Harings images differes from the loud sprayed pictures of the “graffiti-guerillia”. During this time Keith came to attraction through showing nearly maniac creative urge. Not only he painted big canvasses, paper rolls, walls and other stuff also he decorated whole rooms and diverse objets.
In the beginning of the 80’s the catchy abstact symbols and comic figures appeared on vacant surfaces in the subway. This first brought Keith on the wanted list of the police and afterwards in the exclusive circle of the N.Y.-establishment.
He was also dealing with video art, performance, body painting, illustrations and sculptures of steel.
His style can be described as simple, clear and fast. With his energy and authority Keith always knew how to attract attention. In a short range he tured to be a cult figure and “enfant terrible” in the artist scene. Since 1985 the bright world of Keith Haring became darker caused by the threat of AIDS. Keith worked hard and indefatigable until the end though having been infected by this disease.
1990 he died in New York, aged 31
