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Keith Haring
Closely based on Haring€™s own concept for the monograph he wanted to publish before his untimely death, this volume represents more than a decade of research and contains a wealth of unpublished photographic and written material including drawings, studio photographs, and journal entries. From chalk drawings deep in the New York City subways to murals in Pisa and Berlin; collaborations with William Burroughs and the famous body painting of Grace Jones, this book follows the incredible trajectory of Keith Haring€™s artistic how a young man from a small town in rural Pennsylvania came to revolutionize the art world€”and the course of art history€”within little more than a decade. An incredibly prolific artist, Keith Haring created countless bold, provocative, endearing, and unforgettable images that continue to inspire artists€”and delight children€”worldwide. Tracing the arc from his early subway "tags" to his poignant work on social issues as diverse as
522 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 6, 2014
Simply amazing!
I first noticed this book in the shop in the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. I was immediately drawn to it. Not only because it stood out from the others with it's size and pink cover, but because it is a beautifully made book. I stood there turning page after page and in the end I was so sorry I had not room enough to take it with me (being of considerable weight and size).
It is a book that allegedly Keith had in mind to realize - a book that would document his career through his works. And the people who realized have done it with so much love that it is obvious and only appropriate for the name and deed of the artist whose own religion (in his own words) was: "touching people's lives in a positive way".
This is a book that will have you returning to it every once in a while and always fill you with so much energy. A book that would move you in a positive way.
I first noticed this book in the shop in the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. I was immediately drawn to it. Not only because it stood out from the others with it's size and pink cover, but because it is a beautifully made book. I stood there turning page after page and in the end I was so sorry I had not room enough to take it with me (being of considerable weight and size).
It is a book that allegedly Keith had in mind to realize - a book that would document his career through his works. And the people who realized have done it with so much love that it is obvious and only appropriate for the name and deed of the artist whose own religion (in his own words) was: "touching people's lives in a positive way".
This is a book that will have you returning to it every once in a while and always fill you with so much energy. A book that would move you in a positive way.
October 4, 2012
I read this in the MONA shop and cried in the shop it was sad and embarrassing.
November 1, 2023
To waste some time and procrastinate at the library I pulled this off the shelf since it's spine was the biggest and brightest in my vicinity. Holy shit was it interesting & inspiring!
I would love to be a fly on the wall in Keith Haring's life.
I would love to be a fly on the wall in Keith Haring's life.
December 28, 2021
Gorgeous gorgeous
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2023
“The public has a right to art.” ~Keith Haring.
I’ve been on an art book kick recently, after discovering that my local university library has some choice picks, and what better way to kick off June’s Pride month celebration than to get lost in the whimsical line art of Keith Haring! After leaving Kutztown, Pennsylvania to pursue the life of an artist in New York, Keith Haring quickly took the city by seemingly accidental storm with his army of primitive/pop art subway characters. In reality, his splash was one that came of being at the right place at the right time and having an internal drive to just do his art in whatever way possible – whether it was putting on a show in an abandoned building, papering the (blank) walls of his art school with his pieces, or spotting incongruous places throughout the city to fill with graffiti. This magnum opus chronologically explores what appears to be the vast majority of Haring’s works, paired with a healthy dose of his own writings about his life and art, a hefty retrospective interview (recorded shortly before his death at age 31), and commentary from his major collaborators that puts his work in cultural context – weighing in at over 6 pounds (and 500+ pages) of sheer, joyous creation. I may not technically enjoy all of Haring’s work, per se, since the occasional overabundance of phallic imagery and borderline pornographic content can be a bit overwhelming, but this was honestly one of the best constructed art books that I’ve read, period. Haring’s writing has an honesty that is easily accessible, and has the same appeal and unique (but somehow instantly recognizable) perspective of the world as his pop art stylings. Reading the book feels like we’re having an intimate chat with Haring as we leaf through his personal photograph album; nothing comes across as too polished, even though the reproduction quality is perfection and every piece is carefully placed to create a distinct narrative that traces Haring’s evolution from young artist about town to world-celebrated adept. By the final pages of the book, we’re left with an almost inevitable feeling of sadness that Haring died so young, but his art carries such an exuberant and informative legacy that it is clear that he lived his life to the fullest and left the world a more joyful place for his time in it.
I’ve been on an art book kick recently, after discovering that my local university library has some choice picks, and what better way to kick off June’s Pride month celebration than to get lost in the whimsical line art of Keith Haring! After leaving Kutztown, Pennsylvania to pursue the life of an artist in New York, Keith Haring quickly took the city by seemingly accidental storm with his army of primitive/pop art subway characters. In reality, his splash was one that came of being at the right place at the right time and having an internal drive to just do his art in whatever way possible – whether it was putting on a show in an abandoned building, papering the (blank) walls of his art school with his pieces, or spotting incongruous places throughout the city to fill with graffiti. This magnum opus chronologically explores what appears to be the vast majority of Haring’s works, paired with a healthy dose of his own writings about his life and art, a hefty retrospective interview (recorded shortly before his death at age 31), and commentary from his major collaborators that puts his work in cultural context – weighing in at over 6 pounds (and 500+ pages) of sheer, joyous creation. I may not technically enjoy all of Haring’s work, per se, since the occasional overabundance of phallic imagery and borderline pornographic content can be a bit overwhelming, but this was honestly one of the best constructed art books that I’ve read, period. Haring’s writing has an honesty that is easily accessible, and has the same appeal and unique (but somehow instantly recognizable) perspective of the world as his pop art stylings. Reading the book feels like we’re having an intimate chat with Haring as we leaf through his personal photograph album; nothing comes across as too polished, even though the reproduction quality is perfection and every piece is carefully placed to create a distinct narrative that traces Haring’s evolution from young artist about town to world-celebrated adept. By the final pages of the book, we’re left with an almost inevitable feeling of sadness that Haring died so young, but his art carries such an exuberant and informative legacy that it is clear that he lived his life to the fullest and left the world a more joyful place for his time in it.
February 28, 2021
A memoir and a collection of work, how can you beat that? Keith Haring has been incredibly influential to me as an artist not only for the energy conveyed in his work, but for the depth of his understanding of how art can be more than beautiful imagery, it can be a language in and of itself.
Fans of Haring's work will find this book an absolute essential. Page after page of plates of his paintings and mural fill this thick compendium but along with that are images of Haring actually painting on some of his most iconic works.
This collection is also unique for the way it includes passages from Keith's diaries as he describes his progression as an artist, meeting important figures in the art world, his opinions concerning his own visual style, a few salacious bits about the men in his life, and the joy he experienced as he watched his art embraced by the culture at large.
Keith Haring, like any artist, cannot be summed up in one book, and this work of course should only be one of the several; books about the man for anyone studying his work and life. Nevertheless I would recommend this to any art lover and Haring Fan.
Fans of Haring's work will find this book an absolute essential. Page after page of plates of his paintings and mural fill this thick compendium but along with that are images of Haring actually painting on some of his most iconic works.
This collection is also unique for the way it includes passages from Keith's diaries as he describes his progression as an artist, meeting important figures in the art world, his opinions concerning his own visual style, a few salacious bits about the men in his life, and the joy he experienced as he watched his art embraced by the culture at large.
Keith Haring, like any artist, cannot be summed up in one book, and this work of course should only be one of the several; books about the man for anyone studying his work and life. Nevertheless I would recommend this to any art lover and Haring Fan.
June 14, 2023
This is my favorite coffee table book of all time, and I’m so glad I own it
November 12, 2023
An incredible book about Keith Haring's life and art works.
A must have!
Bonsoir.
A must have!
Bonsoir.
April 17, 2025
I love love love Keith Haring. This book is colorful and bright and so so nice. I adore how the book connects the time periods of his life with his art.
September 11, 2014
I LOVE this cover, and the heft of the book. Really incredible and great especially after the letdown of the show in Brooklyn. I wish I had read this book though before seeing the show as would have appreciated it more. Maybe that was why I enjoyed the book so much.
A talent squashed way too soon. But an awful time period.
I loved going to the Pop Shop, sadly only a couple of times before his death and then things changed and now it is closed. It always was a pilgrimage of sorts for me.
Amazing that my library had this book-how COOL is that?
November 22, 2016
This book is just beauitful for the eyes. I loved every page and every detail put into the book. You can see all the effort they put into this work of art. You could see Keith Harings work come to life.
December 5, 2010
The binding and print of this book is fantastic. The content is only good if you like this style of art.
December 10, 2014
MUST HAVE for any Keith Haring fan (like me!) or contemporary art fan (like me!).
April 5, 2015
The perfect mix of biography, great photographs of artworks, the artist and his friends and the writings of Keith Harring.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews