The Bay Area has long been a hotbed of political activism. Our social history continues with recent marches against police violence, terrorism, and, curiously, with one powerful art exhibition.
Keith Haring will be known to many as a pop icon of the 1980's. In public spaces and on gallery canvasses, he worked tirelessly until his death at the age of 31 on a vast (and delightful) system of symbols. Through his graffiti-inspired drawings, paintings, sculptures, murals, and other works, Haring created an immediately recognizable iconography that speaks to a diverse population—gay and straight, young and old, male and female. For Haring, symbols were a lexicon that he used to communicate ideas: “An artist is a spokesman for a society at any given point in history. His language is determined by his perception of the world we all live in. He is a medium between ‘what is’ and ‘what could be.’”
When looking at his works in relation to semiotics, the study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behavior, the viewer has a strong sense of Haring’s visual vernacular, which demonstrates how he perceived the world and the tumultuous political landscape of the 1980’s. His dancing figures, barking dogs, televisions, and other symbols repeated across his artworks addressed concerns of his time like apartheid, racial inequality, capitalist excess, environmental degradation, mass media and technology, nuclear disarmament, and the AIDS epidemic, among other issues. Haring often utilized the figure in his artwork to portray the importance of the individual. For the artist, the individual represented the uniqueness and power of human beings, and how each person has the ability to positively contribute to society.
His art continues to resonate with today's social issues because of its symbolic representation. The visually arresting selection of works in Keith Haring: The Political Line represent the palpable urgency and broad political stakes to which Haring committed his art throughout his career. Bay Area residents can now experience his iconography like never before and explore the link between symbolism and activism, pop culture and politics. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to view Haring’s inspiring artwork at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park through February 16, 2015.
Extended Hours! Fridays, Jan 16, 23, 30 and Feb 6 & 13
For five Fridays, starting January 16 through February 13, see special exhibition Keith Haring: The Political Line at the de Young from 5:30 to 9 pm for just $15 when you book in advance online.* Plus, enjoy a wine and cocktail bar on the main level of the de Young before you head downstairs to enjoy the exhibition.
*$15 tickets available when you book in advance online. $1 additional charge when purchasing on site at the museum. Limited availability. Cash bar.