Heart Face

Keith Haring (1958-90) was preeminent among the young artists, performers, and musicians whose work responded to urban street culture of the 1980's. Inspired by the graffiti artists whose marks covered the city's subway cars, Haring began to draw in white chalk over the black paper used to cover vacant advertising panels. There he developed the series of images that would become his signature: the radiant baby, the barking dog, and the running figure. As early as 1982, Haring began exhibiting in galleries and museums around the world but continued to participate in public project.

Although Keith Haring's career was brief, his imagery has become a universally recognized visual language of the 20th century.