Keith Haring, after receiving a traditional artistic education, began around 1980 to spread his distinctive artistic style on the walls of subway stations, often being fined and, in some cases, temporarily detained by the authorities. His iconic stylized figures are deliberately inspired by the world of comics—primitive, yet undeniably “pop,” easily appreciated by a wide audience.
This fusion of different cultural expressions, combined with his unmistakable originality, quickly made him a star of New York’s underground scene. In the subway, his works were often removed and sold for a small fortune. This borderline-legal phenomenon propelled him into the formal art world, aided by his professional friendship with Andy Warhol.
Initially, Haring painted isolated figures, sketched quickly in the underground tunnels, but soon his compositions became dense with multiple figures and symbols. Beyond the artworks themselves, Haring recognized the potential of merchandising, and starting in 1986, the market was flooded with countless artist-designed products sold directly through his Pop-Shop in New York.
His final masterpiece was the large mural Tuttomondo, created in Pisa in 1989 on the wall of the Church of Sant’Antonio—a swan song before his premature death due to AIDS.
