According to the information in the passage, write a paragraph arguing whether Haring’s social life and friendships shaped his art. “A Larger Vision” (Scholastic Arts: Keith Haring, Working With Symbols)
“I knew there had to be a whole other reason for making art besides looking for success within the art world” - Keith Haring
Though the symbols he used seem simple, Keith Haring’s art deals with universal themes - love, war, birth, and death. And although his art was always optimistic, many of his messages became more serious at the end of his life.
The artist had always supported social causes. Right after he came to New York, he did antinuclear leaflets and designed Free South Africa posters. Later, he worked on anti-smoking and literacy campaigns. In 1987, he did a number of murals in this country and Europe for hospitals and schools. He also began making large public sculptures like this one (right) next to the United Nations Building in New
York City.
One of Haring’s best known projects, done in 1986 was a mural painted on a
abandoned handball court beside a New York highway. He made Crack is Wack (below) after seeing what had happened to a young assistant who became addicted to drugs. “He desperately wanted to stop but wasn’t able to. So I became aware of the dangers of this killer drug.” the artist said. In the same year, Haring was invited to Germany to paint a mural on a section of the wall that, until a few years ago, divided East and West Berlin. Keith Haring was 28 years old, and seemed to be at the beginning of his career.

Early in 1988, the artist began to suspect he might have AIDS. Later, when he was sure he had the disease he said, “At first you’re completely wrecked. But then you have to get yourself together and go on. You realize it’s not the end then and there. You’ve got to continue and figure out how you’re going to face it and deal with it.” So Haring did what he always did; he worked.
Silence = Death (right) is one of the last paintings Haring made.
In it, he expresses his conviction that ignoring the AIDS epidemic
will only result in more deaths from the disease. He sends his message visually by combining two of his symbols: The human figure for which he is best known and the triangle he always used to symbolize eternity. The weeping figures are interconnected . Here, as in all of Haring’s works, the lines in one image blend into another, symbolizing the energy that runs through and connects all things.
Keith Haring died in February of 1990. Thousands of people came to the funeral to celebrate his life and art. At the service, his sister said, “I learned a lot from my big brother. That a wall was meant to be drawn on: a Saturday night was meant for partying: that life is meant for celebrating.”