Keith Haring in 3D

Keith Haring (1958–1990) believed that art was for everyone, and he wanted his work to be everywhere. During his short career—just a little over a decade long—he enlivened every surface he could with his instantly recognizable figures. He was first and foremost famous for his imagery, which he invented while making guerrilla drawings in the New York City subway, then brought to his large-scale murals. But his restless creativity was never confined to the flat surface.

Haring created hundreds of three-dimensional artworks. He began by painting on objects that he found in the street or in shops, then brought the same approach to the living bodies of his friends. Eventually he made monumental sculptures in wood and metal and even a whole store for his art, which he called the Pop Shop. Along the way, Haring worked with graffiti artists, musicians and dancers, including celebrated figures such as Madonna and Grace Jones. With their collaboration, alongside other friends, including Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, he helped to define the look of the 1980s: an era of club culture, hip hop, MTV and, tragically, AIDS, the disease which took Haring’s life when he was only 31.

This exhibition, the first to look at Haring’s three-dimensional practice, looks at this aspect of his work in all its range: found objects, terracotta vases, fabricated sculpture, garments, stage props and other painted artworks. Keith Haring in 3D is a celebration not only of the artist himself, but also the cultural moment he did so much to energize. It also reminds us of the enduring relevance of Haring’s vision: that art can be a powerful force for inclusion, dialogue and collective action.