Growing 1 by Keith Haring

Growing #2 is known as a “People Ladder” and represents a tower of beat box dancers in a formation. It’s one of Haring’s most known images, alongside the radiant baby, barking dog and angels.

Keith Haring sought to democratize art and enable growth through the rights and activism he portrayed through his work. In the Growing series, the figures represented stem from the single individual. Growth represents the artist’s desire to emerge from societies withheld value system in gender, class, race, and sexuality.

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Artwork Information

Created	1988
Size	40×30
Medium	screenprint
Genre	Pop
Presentation	Edition of 100

Description

Growing by Keith Haring

Keith Haring’s 1988 series titled Growing is a collection of 5 screen prints. Keith Haring is recognized for his exclusive use of black and white, and typical use of primary colors, the figures were simplified, and easily recognizable as his. They formed glyphs that could be read, like an urban, tribal language.

The Growing suite works all focus on a central figure from which the image expands. They reference historical tribal art and aboriginal styles, but the form and design is completely Haring’s own. Haring was a visionary – he created what are the equivalent to modern day hieroglyphics. Referencing what is essentially another visual language is genius and fitting. Haring captures the best of the era here too – the 80s, the birth of hip hop.

Each of these is a handmade work by the artist himself. He poured himself into the production of the works, creating the screens from which these were printed, and here choosing the specific color combinations that make these unique from any other in the world. Speaking of color, the ink on these is super fresh – bright, vibrant and an incredible display on the wall.

Keith Haring was an American artist and social activist responding to New York City’s street culture of the 1980s. His work is about birth, death, sex and war – very fitting for the period in which he lived and worked. Keith Haring was openly gay at a time when most non-heterosexuals kept their sexual proclivities behind closed doors. Part of Haring’s importance as an artist was how his art raised awareness of AIDS. Many of his works were featured in the Red Hot Organization’s efforts to raise money for AIDS research and AIDS awareness. Keith Haring himself died of AIDS in 1990 at age 32.

Keith Haring was born and grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania with his parents and three younger sisters. His father, Allen Haring, was a cartoonist who may have been an inspiration for him to pursue his artistic talents and certainly influenced his son’s work.

The artist’s first work that garnered attention was his public art painted in the New York City subways. These renderings were more akin to Pop art than Street Art. Perhaps they could best be described as Pop Art on the street.It was at this time that his work “The Radiant Baby” became symbolic of the artist. This image, with its bold lines, vivid colors, and dynamic pose, expresses profound messages of life and unity.n 1980, Haring organized shows in New York City’s Club 57 and for the first time started drawing animals and human faces. He also pasted provocative collages around the city made from cut up and reassembled headlines from the New York Post.