#Keith haring retrospect full#
#Keith haring retrospect series#

The success of the flagship store prompted the artist to open a second location in Tokyo, but the Japanese location was short-lived, only running from 1987-1988. It’s about participation on a big level.” Aiming to attract a wide audience that ranged from collectors to kids who would usually not be able to see or own a piece of his art to those who might just be curious about his work, the Pop Shop allowed Haring to extend his reach into the public in a way that mirrored his initial foray into the art world through street art in the New York City subways. Speaking about the Pop Shop, he said that “The Pop Shop makes my work accessible. Making his work more accessible was an important aspect of Haring’s work. Haring’s response to this was to open his own small storefront and sell memorabilia that would make his work more accessible, and to assert his own art in the wake of many copies. As Haring’s work became increasingly popular, the cost of owning his work increased significantly, as did the number of reproductions. Selling novelty items and merchandise-things like t-shirts, pins, and more- with Haring’s iconic imagery, as well as items with imagery from his contemporaries, like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf, the Pop Shop was an extension of Haring’s art practice and The walls, ceiling, and floors of the Pop Shop were painted by Haring himself, covered in black outlines of Haring’s famous aesthetic. Haring’s Pop Shop opened in 1986 at 292 Lafayette Street. These prints are all named for the Pop Shop, a physical storefront that the artist opened and ran in New York City.

Keith Haring Pop Shop V (Plate 4), from the Pop Shop V Portfolio, 1989 Melded into a cross-shape at the abdomens, joined at the wrists, or showing five humans making up a single hand, each figure acting as a finger, this final set of prints pushes the boundaries of the possibilities of the human figure.

Pop Shop VI does not include these fantastical animalesque elements, but does feature whimsical joinings of human figures. Animals continue to appear in Pop Shop V, which incorporates dolphins interacting with Haring’s humans, as well as one winged mermaid figure. Haring’s famous “radiant baby” figure is held aloft in one of the prints in Pop Shop IV, a symbol that would come to define Haring’s artistic output as the years would go on. Nonhumans begin to make an appearance in Pop Shop IV, which includes barking dogs-one of Haring’s most well-known animal figures-and a winged human figure. One print contains no figures at all, just a pair of scissors cutting a wire or string. Multiple of the prints show Haring’s figures seemingly battling with the machine of ambiguous purpose, pulling other figures out of the machine’s mouth or punching its side. Pop Shop III tackles the theme of technology, with depictions of an unknown machine. Pop Shop II shows Haring’s figures in impossible positions or combinations-one does a backbend while another dances on water, a pair of them are combined at the neck, and another is splitting down the middle, with two sets of legs. Pop Shop I contains images of three human figures lifting each other up, embracing, and touching hands through a hole in one of the figure’s torsos. Keith Haring Pop Shop IV (Plate 3), from the Pop Shop IV Portfolio, 1989Įach suite of prints has its own theme that explores an aspect of the artist’s style and technique. The Pop Shop screenprints are truly an exemplary set of works that showcase the best of the best when it comes to Haring’s artistic style. The flat, punchy color choices that are an important feature of Haring’s practice can be seen in all of the Pop Shop screenprints. The use of thick black graphic lines to outline the simplified, highly geometric figures of both humans and animals is paired with Haring’s frequent use of short lines coming out of his figures that suggest movement or radiance.

#Keith haring retrospect full#

All of the artist’s trademark stylistic choices are on full display in these sets of prints.

#Keith haring retrospect series#

All done in Haring’s recognizable graphic style, the Pop Shop screenprints are often thought of as a series of glyphs that represent Haring’s classic and unique visual language. Together, they comprise a set of Haring’s most iconic and important imagery.

Keith Haring’s Pop Shop screenprints consist of 6 separate sets of works, each comprising four 11 x 14 inch screenprints. Haring painting a mural at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1986