keith haring: 1978 1982 at the brooklyn museum

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, 1982 sumi ink on paper 107 x 208 inches (271.8 x 528.3 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring: 1978-1982 brooklyn museum, new york on now until july 2nd, 2012

the first large-scale exhibition that explores the early career of one of america’s best-known artists of the twentieth-century, ‘keith haring: 1978-1982’ chronicles the period in the artist’s career from when he left his pennsylvania home and arrived in new york city to attend the school of visual arts. it traces the development of his studio practice and production of public and political street art, whereby he immersed himself into new york’s downtown culture, befriending other creatives such as jean-michel basquiat and kenny scharf.

this show explores haring’s role as a curator and facilitator of performances and exhibitions of work by other artists, often pursuing unconventional locations for these presentations that usually only lasted one night. the flyers that he created to advertise these events now remaining as documentation of his curatorial practice.

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, 1980 sumi ink on bristol board 20 x 26 inches (50.8 x 66.0 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

the works on display take viewers through the development of the artist’s visual vocabulary including: 155 works on paper,

experimental videos and over 150 archival objects. there are also a number of rarely seen pieces such as twenty-five red

gouache works on paper depicting geometric forms assembled in various combinations to create patterns,

seven video pieces including his first ‘haring painting himself into a corner’, collages created out fragments of his own writing,

history textbooks and newspapers, closely relating to collage flyers he created with a xerox machine. there are also

sketchbooks, journals, exhibition flyers, posters, subway drawings and documentary photographs which have hardly been on display. haring’s activity in public spaces is also explored throughout the exhibition, the anonymous works that first drew him to the attention of the public, such as figures drawn in chalk on pieces of black paper used to cover old advertisements on the walls of new york city subway stations.

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, 1981 sumi ink on paper 72 x 96 inches (182.9 x 243.8 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

haring’s personal visual aesthetic was strongly influenced by the architecture of new york city, pre-columbian and african design, dance music and the diverse work sof artist such as alechinsky, dubuffet, picasso, willem dekooning and jackson pollock. it is seen that his artistic practice was strongly driven by gestural brushwork and the symbolic forms of abstract expressionists, his earliest work investigated patterns composed of geometric forms which evolved as he made new discoveries through experimentation with shape and line, as well as the media. his aesthetic was accurately documented within his journals through precise notes and illustrations. later on in 1980, he introduced figurative drawings into his artistic repertoire which encompassed a majority of the iconography he used for the rest of his life: bird, crawling baby, dog, dolphin, flying saucer, nuclear reactor, pyramid, radio and standing figure, all enhanced by radiating lines suggestive of movement or flows of energy.

since passing away in 1990 due to AIDS-related complications, keith haring’s goal for creating art has influenced a contemporary practice

of street art, his influence seen through the work of artists such as banksy, barry mcgee, shepard fairey, and SWOON.

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, 1978 various inks and pencils on paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled notebook page, 1978-79 graphite on paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) manhattan penis drawings for ken hicks, 1978 graphite on paper 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches (21.6 x 14.0 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) journal entry, 1979 collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, ca. 1980-1985 chalk on black paper 43 1/2 x 44 3/4 inches (110.5 x 113.7 cm) private collection, NYC, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, ca. 1980-1985 chalk on black paper 34 3/4 x 45 inches (88.3 x 114.3 cm) private collection, NYC, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, ca. 1980-1985 chalk on black paper 58 x 46 inches (147.3 x 116.9 cm) private collection, NYC, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled (exhibition continues 163 mercer street), 1982 felt-tip pen on paper 11 1/2 x 9 inches (29.5 x 22.9 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled, 1980 ink on orange paper 36 x 35 1/2 inches (91.4 x 90.2 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) flyer for des refusés at westbeth painters space, new york city, february 10, 1981. acrylic and ink on paper collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) untitled journal drawing, 1977 collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) stills from painting myself into a corner, 1979 video, 33 min collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) mudd club ID ink on paper 2 x 3 1/4 inches (5.1 x 8.3 cm) collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation

keith haring (american, 1958–1990) self-portrait with glasses painted by kenny scharf, circa 1980 polaroid photograph collection keith haring foundation, © keith haring foundation