In His Own Words

Beginnings

Keith was born to Joan and Allen Haring on May 4, 1958. He grew up in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, the oldest of four siblings. His artistic leanings were evident from a very early age.
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To New York

Keith Haring, Subway, 1982

Keith arrived in New York in 1978 as a scholarship student at the School of Visual Arts. All at once, he began to experience a multicultural urban community with its own expressive vocabulary; a lively environment in which to explore …
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Success

Installation Shot, Shafrazi Gallery, New York, 1982

Shows at P.S. 122 and Club 57 added to the visibility Keith had gained through his subway drawings and street graffiti. Growing recognition of his work brought Keith more money and new opportunities, but it brought new pressures into his …
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Transitions

Keith Haring in front of Pisa Mural, 1989

In April 1986, Keith opened the Pop Shop, a retail store in New York. He explains his philosophy in selling his art through a commercial venue: “My work was starting to become more expensive and more popular within the art …
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