Keith Haring
Radiant Child is just one of the widely identifiable images created by the painter Keith Haring. In the span of a few short years, Haring created public art works and commercial projects that garnered him international acclaim. Born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1958, Haring studied commercial art and graphic design in his late teens, but began to explore other forms at the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1978. He also became involved with the underground art scene in New York's East Village and participated in performances and exhibitions at a variety of alternative venues. Much of his early work was drawn on subway billboards and found objects, reflecting the influence of graffiti artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat. During the late 1970s through the mid 1980s Haring created a number of public murals all over the world. The first major exhibition of his work took place at the Shafrazi Gallery in 1982, and he participated in many exhibitions such as the Whitney Biennial and Documenta 7. Haring was always looking for ways to make his artwork accessible to the widest possible audience. In 1986 he opened the Pop Shop, a retail store that sold a variety of products with his imagery on them. His critics accused him of selling out, but he felt strongly that these products helped insert his art into everyday life. Haring was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, and he died in 1990. The Keith Haring Foundation provides funding to AIDS organizations and children's programs, as well as builds awareness of Haring's body of work.
