Keith Haring Apocalypse For Sale

Keith Haring's Apocalypse Series (1988)

Keith Haring's Apocalypse series stands as one of the artist's most profound and politically charged bodies of work, created in 1988 during a period of intense creative output and personal reckoning. Comprising ten screenprints that correspond to passages from the biblical Book of Revelation, this suite represents Haring's departure from his characteristically optimistic visual language into darker, more contemplative territory. Created just two years before his untimely death, the series confronts themes of mortality, nuclear anxiety, environmental destruction, and the AIDS crisis with unflinching directness. These works showcase Haring's extraordinary ability to distill complex apocalyptic imagery into his signature bold lines and dynamic compositions, demonstrating why he remains one of the most significant artists to emerge from the 1980s downtown New York scene.

Technically, the Apocalypse portfolio exemplifies Haring's mastery of the screenprint medium. Each work features his iconic graphic vocabulary—radiant babies, barking dogs, flying saucers, and writhing figures—rendered in striking black against white or employing dramatic color contrasts. The prints, catalogued as Littmann PP. 98-109, were produced in collaboration with master printmaker George C. Miller and published by George Mulder Fine Arts. The edition showcases Haring's sophisticated understanding of how to translate the immediacy of his street art and subway drawings into fine art prints without sacrificing their raw energy and accessibility.

From a market perspective, the Apocalypse series has demonstrated exceptional strength and consistent appreciation among discerning collectors. As one of Haring's major thematic suites, these works represent museum-quality examples of his mature period and are increasingly scarce in the secondary market. The series' historical significance—addressing the social and political anxieties of the late Cold War era while presaging contemporary concerns—ensures its enduring relevance. Individual prints from the suite, as well as complete portfolios, are highly sought after by institutions and private collectors alike, commanding premium prices that reflect Haring's firmly established position in the contemporary art canon.

Guy Hepner gallery specializes in exceptional examples from Keith Haring's most significant series, including works from the Apocalypse portfolio.