KEITH HARING
Untitled, 1983
Enamel on carved wood
31 x 20 1/8 x 2 1/4 inches (78.7 x 51.1 x 5.7 cm)

Provenance
Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York
Private Collection, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Auction History

Sotheby’s New-York: 30 September 2022
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 400,000
USD 529,200

Untitled | Contemporary Curated | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)

REPEAT SALE

Sotheby’s New-York: 13 May 2021
Estimated: USD 400,000 – 600,000
USD 615,000

Untitled | Contemporary Art Day Auction | 2021 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)

 

Boasting vibrant, dynamic energy, Keith Haring’s Untitled from 1983 encapsulates the artist’s iconic visual practice. Haring’s instantly recognizable dancing figures with energy lines are carved into the painted black construction, their bright red outlines boldly popping against the dark background. Haring was intrigued by ancient narratives and symbols, such as hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt; this inspired Haring’s ability to invest vast meaning into a single, repeated symbol. Haring created his own visual lexicon that became ingrained within the landscape of New York City, and his energetic, bold line came to define not only his oeuvre but his personality and presence within the art world. The figures in the present lot embody Haring’s celebration of music and movement, and the dancing forms are layered with graphic force. At the pinnacle of the tiered wooden form is the central figure of Haring’s vocabulary: the radiant baby. Entirely encircled with energy lines, the baby stands out against its fellow forms, yet all join together in Haring’s recognizable celebratory, energetic motion.

“Red is one of the strongest colors, it’s blood, it has a power with the eye.”

Haring was an active participant in contemporary street culture, and often incorporated his love of hip-hop into his practice.

“From 1982 to 1984 was the peak of rap music and breakdancing—breaking and spinning on the floor and doing these athletic, gymnastic dances on the floor…I incorporated things that I saw in breakdancing, electric boogie, and deejays into my drawings…A lot of my inspiration was coming out of watching break-dancers, so my drawings started spinning on their heads and twisting and turning all around. The work directly referenced hip-hop culture.”

This influence bestowed vibrancy and dynamism to his work. Untitled possesses rhythm; its expressive line indicates his ability to process and respond profoundly to the world around him through his art.

INSTALLATION IMAGES OF INTO ’84 AT TONY SHAFRAZI. PHOTO BY TSENG KWONG CHI © MUNA TSENG DANCE PROJECTS, INC., NEW YORK

Haring further established his solidarity with the downtown scene and his central presence as a beloved artist in New York through his gallery shows, which frequently became spaces to gather. The present work was included in an exhibition at Tony Shafrazi Gallery at the end of 1983 and into 1984—the exhibition was aptly named Into ‘84. Haring printed large images of Bill T. Jones, his body painted in Haring’s recognizable, hieroglyphic line, and hung them on the wall of the gallery, which was filled with impressively detailed three-dimensional wood pieces.

 

Haring had collaborated with his friend, Kermit Oswald, on this project, which, in Haring’s words, “was a combination of his and my ideas….He had told me about this machine called a router, which you could push around and glide through pieces of wood and incise drawings into them. There were several three-dimensional totemic wood pieces in the middle of the room. The rest of the room was covered with other carved wood pieces…We created this incredibly active, floor-to-ceiling, totally encompassing installation” (Keith Haring in John Gruen et al., Keith Haring, New York 2008, p. 266-267). Shafrazi had rented a second space, too, for a satellite component of the exhibition; painted with fluorescent colors and lit with blacklight, the basement installation became a hub of creativity: Haring’s partner, Juan DuBose, deejayed in the basement and break-dancers entertained upstairs. Into ‘84 epitomized Haring’s approach to art as a locus of community, of bringing people together—not only were the artworks and images exhibited in the show a result of collaboration, but the gallery existed as a joyful space to gather.

KEITH HARING PAINTING BILL T. JONES IN LONDON, 1983. PHOTO BY TSENG KWONG CHI © MUNA TSENG DANCE PROJECTS, INC.

Demonstrating the meeting point of his many influences, Untitled encapsulates Haring’s innovation motivated by his observations of the world around him, his desire to bring people together in celebration, and his positive and energetic approach to life. The present composition strikingly conveys immediacy and excitement, and it epitomizes Haring as a leading artist of his time, early on in his career. The bold, red line of Untitled possesses the vibrancy, movement, and joy that is inherent to Haring’s celebrated visual lexicon.