Center Blog

To bring their month-long celebration of iconic pop artist Keith Haring to a close, the Center hosted a free screening of the 1990 documentary, Drawing the Line, followed by a panel discussion of Keith Haring’s work and life.

Drawing the Line provided viewers with a glimpse into Keith Haring’s brief but inspiring life. Keith’s unique artwork started on the streets and in the tunnels of the New York City subway. Armed with a stick of chalk, Haring began sketching in the empty black panels of the subway, or directly on advertisements themselves.  Even after being arrested, Haring refused to stop flooding New York City with his art.

The initial purpose of his sketches was mere amusement, but soon the highly charged political climate of the 1980s caused him to add meaningful messages to his work. With his coverage of hot topics like the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the startling rise of crack cocaine, Haring soon became influential in the art world. He was commissioned to create many sculptures and murals during his career, and was even invited to paint on the Berlin Wall. Tragically, Haring died from AIDS-related complications when he was only 31 years old.

After the film, the panel discussed Keith Haring’s impact on the art world and the LGBT community. The panel included Dave Nimmons, former Center Board President when Haring’s Once Upon a Time mural was created; Gary Speziale, artist and participant in the 1989 Center Show; and Ricardo Montez, New School Professor and Keith Haring scholar.

The panel began by discussing the 1980s, a tumultuous time for the LGBT community. “The community was under siege, both politically and because of HIV/AIDS,” Dave Nimmons explained. Organizations like GLAAD and Act Up were coming to fruition, but “people you saw one week were dead the next.”

In 1989, the Center hosted an art show to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Various artists – some famous, some up and coming – were invited to paint murals on the walls of the Center. Keith Haring was one of the 50 artists who participated. Each artist had the freedom to choose any spot, and Keith Haring chose the men’s bathroom.

Keith’s mural, entitled Once Upon a Time, is an ode to sexuality. “His bathroom mural is unique because it celebrates sex in a way that many of his other pieces do not,” Ricardo Montez pointed out.  Gary Speziale described the mural as playful and believes it communicates that “the body is still beautiful, love is still possible and sex is still great.” Haring’s exceptional ability to complete a piece quickly and without any preliminary sketches made him a joy to watch. Dave Nimmons had the honor of witnessing Haring paint this piece, and called it awe-inspiring.

It is no wonder that Keith Haring remains a pop culture phenomenon. Though his life was short, Haring left us with messages that still resonate today. His artwork will surely be enjoyed for generations to come.