Keith Haring is synonymous with the downtown New York art scene of the 1980's. His artwork-with its simple, bold lines and dynamic figures in motion-filtered in to the world's consciousness and is still instantly recognizable, twenty years after his death. This Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition features ninety black-and-white images of classic artwork and never-before-published Polaroid images, and is a remarkable glimpse of a man who, in his quest to become an artist, instead became an icon.
Art credit: © Keith Haring Foundation Keith Haring (1958-1990) came to New York City in 1978 to attend the School of Visual Arts. He developed in to an internationally famous artist whose works are respresented in museum collections around the world, and who, through the Keith Haring Foundation, has supported hundreds of children's and AIDS-related charities.
1977april 29, 1977: Pittsburgh
This is a blue moment... it's blue because I'm confused, again, orshould I say "still"? I don't know what I want or how to get it. Iact like I know what I want, and I appear to be going after it-fast,but I don't, when it comes down to it, even know. I guess it's becauseI'm afraid. Afraid I'm wrong. And I guess I'm afraid I'mwrong, because I constantly relate myself to other people, otherexperiences, other ideas. I should be looking at both in perspective,not comparing. I relate my life to an idea or an example thatis some entirely different life. I should be relating it to my life onlyin the sense that each has good and bad facets. Each is separate.
The only way the other attained enough merit, making it worthyof my admiration, or long to copy it is by taking chances, taking itin its own way. It has grown with different situations and has discovereddifferent heights of happiness and equal sorrows. If I always seek to pattern my life after another, mine is beingwasted re-doing things for my own empty acceptance. But, ifI live my life my way and only let the other [artists] influenceme as a reference, a starting point, I can build an even higherawareness instead of staying dormant. If I can take this andapply it, it will help, but again I am afraid. Afraid I'll just ignorethis whole revelation and remain in the rut and rationalizeand call it human nature or some shit. But, I've beenliving like this for so long that it seems I'm doomed to continue.
Although I realized it now, so that is encouraging. If Ican do this, then it should not be hard to answer my questionsand doubts about my forthcoming adventure. If I amall that is in question, then I should be able to answer all.
Like past experience, there is always a certain magic thatsome call "Fate." Lately it hasn't been as evident, or perhapsI am just more ignorant of it, but I know that I'll end upsomewhere for some reason or no reason, but with someanswers or at least be a little clearer on why I am and what Iam aiming to do or what I am gonna do or just "do." If thisfate is negative, that isn't negative because that is what happenedand that then was the fate. I only wish that I couldhave more confi dence and try to forget all my silly preconceptions,misconceptions, and just live. Just live. Just. Live.
Just live till I die.
Today we got to Interstate State Park and camped andmet people and sold T-shirts. Tripped. Met people going tosee the Grateful Dead in Minnesota. The Grateful Dead inMinnesota! We're going to see the Grateful Dead!
I found a tree in this park that I'm gonna come back to,someday. It stretches sideways out over the St. Croix riverand I can sit on it and balance lying on it perfectly.
Tuesday, May 10, 1977
Today we awoke at sunrise, walked out of the park andhitchhiked to Minneapolis. We saw the school. It's so big!
Giant studios and facilities for silk-screen, etching, lithography,sculpture and giant sun roofs. They have a big librarywith "Pioneer" receivers, tape decks and a large selection ofmusic (even Frank Zappa).
