SPACES AND EXCHANGES KEITH HARING

Crack Is Wack is known as Keith Haring’s most legendary work and the most iconic mural in New York City. The mural’s location in Manhattan on 128th street, next to the incessant passing of cars on Harlem River Drive, possibly plays a huge role in this, gathering more daily views than any other mural in the city.

Haring’s young, gifted studio assistant, Benny, became addicted to crack, inspiring the graffiti artist to paint the mural after many failed attempts from Haring’s studio to help Benny curb his addiction without insurance or hospital assistance. Haring, who often drove by an abandoned handball court in a park near Harlem River Drive, decided to use the court’s wall to display his frustrations with an ineffective government on tackling drug-related issues.


Berlin Wall Mural, 1986
Keith Haring’s Berlin Wall Mural spread over across a 300m long portion of the 100-mile Berlin Wall.. The mural was composed of human figures who were interlinked at their feet and their hands. Of course, the interconnected human symbols symbolised to the quest for unity of people, as opposed to the wall separating them.. The choice of colors used by Haring matched those found in the German flag: yellow (representing gold), red and black.

The destruction of the painting: Unfortunately, the mural was vandalized, destroyed and painted over by other artists by the time the wall came down on 9 November 1991.

RECAP: SPACES AND EXCHANGES: in the 80’s, KH used the New York City subway as his canvass. His goal was to involve the public (millions of subway riders) in his art. He wanted to make his art accessible to the public for free, despite the fact that graffiti was illegal and that he was often arrested. His work in the subway was short-lived because he used chalk to draw on blank advertising posters. He also created large murals all over the world. (Berlin was).  his work conveyed social and political messages (Aids, drugs, Berlin wall)