| Title | : | Keith Haring: 31 Subway Drawings |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 069122997X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780691229973 |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 64 |
| Publication | : | Published December 7, 2021 |
Celebrated artist Keith Haring (1958-1990) has been embraced by popular culture for his signature bold graphic line drawings of figures and forms. Like other graffiti artists in the 1980s, Haring found an empty canvas in the advertising panels scattered throughout New York City's subway system, where he communicated his socially conscious, often humorous messages on platforms and train cars.
Over a five-year period, in an epic conquest of civic space, Haring produced a massive body of subway artwork that remains daunting in its scale and its impact on the public consciousness. Dedicated to the individuals who might encounter them and to the moments of their creation, Haring's drawings now exist solely in the form of documentary photographs and legend. Because they were not meant to be permanent--only briefly inhabiting blacked-out advertising boards before being covered up by ads or torn down by authorities or admirers--what little remains of this project is uniquely fugitive. Keith Haring: 31 Subway Drawings reproduces archival materials relating to this magnificent project alongside essays by leading Haring experts.
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Keith Haring: 31 Subway Drawings Reviews
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This trim art book showcases some of Keith Haring's most elusive art: his chalk on black paper drawings that were created on the walls of the New York City subways. From 1980 to 1985, Haring created more than 5,000 chalk drawings: he jumped out at a subway stop, found an empty wall panel, filled it with spontaneous art and boarded the next train, seeking another blank canvas. "The drawings are by necessity quick and simple," writes Haring. "This is not only for easy readability but also to avoid getting arrested." Most of this art is preserved only through photos taken at the time. Some show Haring creating them while subway passengers rush past. The collected art is vintage Haring: goofy, bold, political and accessible. I just wish there were more than 31 drawings collected. (You can easily find more online.)
