Keith Haring

Keith Haring was a groundbreaking artist and a passionate advocate for children’s welfare and education, HIV/AIDS awareness and LGBTQ+ rights, whose bold, energetic pop art emerged from the New York City graffiti scene in the 1980s. First known for his chalk drawings in NYC subway stations, Haring went on to create an instantly- recognizable world of dancing figures, barking dogs and hearts that pulse with energy and social commentary. One of his most known pieces during the AIDS crisis was “Silence = Death”; which incorporated the pink triangle—a symbol of LGBTQ+ persecution during the Holocaust. Believing that art should be accessible to all, he painted large-scale murals, facilitated interactive outdoor sculptures and even opened a Pop Shop that sold t-shirts, posters with his images. One year before his death from AIDS in 1989, he established the Keith Haring Foundation to ensure that his philanthropic legacy would continue. The Foundation continues to provide grants that focus on education, AIDS prevention and underprivileged children, while protecting his legacy in contemporary art, activism and LGBTQIA+ representation.