Keith Haring, From Subways to Sotheby’s
I hadn’t thought often about graffiti or other forms of street art before this assignment. I lived in Rome during high school, surrounded by all of that beautiful Renaissance art, and graffiti didn’t interest me.
Nor did I know much about the evolution of the street art movement that sprang from the graffiti on New York City’s subways in the 1970s. It was during court-ordered cleanups of public spaces that young street artists from different NYC neighborhoods met each other and exchanged ideas, which led to the growing street art movement. (Austin, p. 99)
I also knew little about the current street artist Banksy, and a famous former subway artist, Keith Haring. I focused on Haring because I knew some of his work and also because he is the overlap between the two articles. Although he died in his early 30s from AIDS, his work became iconic in Pop art. Haring
Haring admired Pop artist Andy Warhol. When they met in 1984, they discovered a shared love of Mickey Mouse. In 1986, Haring painted the now iconic “Andy Mouse”, and several variations of it.
I like many things about Andy Mouse. First, I like it because I’m a huge Mickey Mouse fan, and enjoy everything from Walt Disney’s early versions of Mickey to most of the takeoffs on the Mouse. I also love many of Andy Warhol’s famous art works, especially his iconic Marilyn Monroe images.
But Andy Mouse was new to me. I like Mickey’s iconic ears, tail, red shorts, and yellow shoes. I also like the glasses and blue hair of Andy Warhol. And I “get” the big dollar sign on his chest. It shows the same brand culture irony noted in Banet-Weiser’s article on Banksy (p. 97), a recognition by the artist, in this case Haring, that icons like Mickey Mouse and Andy Warhol are not just beloved in the Pop hall of fame. It also recognizes that both are huge money makers for every product associated with each of them.
Combining Mickey and Andy into one figure was a brilliant idea, for the immediate effect was to create an image instantly recognizable, yet with a wink to the consumer side to each. Practically speaking, it also created an immediate market for Andy Mouse and all of its evolutions, becoming one more link in the long line of both Mickey Mouse and Andy Warhol.
The second Haring image I love is his 1987 cover for the release of music, entitled “A Very Special Christmas”, to benefit the Special Olympics. Again, it combines two important things to me, Christmas music and helping the developmentally disabled. (I’ve volunteered with Aceing Autism through my youth tennis coaching.) I also like his representation of Mary and the baby Jesus, and how he conveys so much with just a few brushstrokes. After reading that even Pompeii had ancient graffiti (Austin, p. 81), I understand the ultimate link between street art and all art. Pompeii
Warhol, A. (n.d.). Andy Warhol Untitled from Marilyn Monroe 1967. Retrieved from https://www.moma.org/collection/works/61239?association=portfolios&locale=en&page=1&parent_id=61240&sov_referrer=association
The AVSC Mission. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.averyspecialchristmas.org/about/
