Keith Haring was one of America’s most internationally resonant artists and one of the most iconic figures of the 1980s. Having moved to New York City from a small town in Pennsylvania, he began to make a name for himself by drawing in the subway, where he developed a simple visual language that is instantly recognizable today: stylized little men, animals and radiant figures, drawn with essential lines and designed for direct and universal enjoyment. His style, lively and accessible, was deeply rooted in urban culture and addressed crucial social issues such as AIDS, racism, and LGBTQ+ rights. Over time Haring achieved global fame, exhibiting in galleries and museums and collaborating with artists such as Andy Warhol, but never abandoning the idea of public, shared art.
Although his career began in subway subway spaces, some of his most striking “canvases” actually had an engine. In a significant return to his roots for New York, two of his rarest three-dimensional works land in the West Village this month. Opening next April 10, Keith Haring: On the Street marks the first occasion that the 1963 Buick Special and the 1983 Land Rover Defender, both painted, are exhibited together in Manhattan. The exhibition, on view April 10-19 at 16 Morton Street in New York City, also opens Free Parking, a new 3,000-square-foot exhibition space created by CART Department inside a 19th-century carriage house.
The exhibition coincides with the release of Keith Haring in 3D, a major volume published by Monacelli Press (Phaidon) devoted to the artist’s three-dimensional output. Although the project is connected to a major retrospective opening June 6 at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, this New York stop represents the first opportunity to get a close look at the cars that inspired the research. Throughout the week, the space will host talks and insights with figures close to Haring, including Carlo McCormick and Muna Tseng, as well as a DJ set by G-Bo The Pro.
The exhibition is part of a true urban “Haring week”: in fact, at the same time, the Brant Foundation is retracing its early years in the East Village. Seeing these cars alongside that historical context powerfully restores the idea of art designed to move in urban space, never intended to remain immobile within the walls of a museum.
The set-up at 16 Morton Street seems to respond perfectly to this vision: thanks to the period architecture and large garage doors, the space feels more like a transition point between street and gallery than a traditional white cube. This is a rare opportunity, not only to attend the scheduled meetings, but more importantly to see these “motor canvases” live before they return to private storage.
[đź“· Instagram: keithharingfoundation]
