Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York Galerie Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf Private Collection (acquired from the above circa 1988) Christie's, New York, 28 September 2017, lot 277 Acquired from the above sale by the present owner
Exhibited
New York, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Keith Haring: Sculpture and Paintings, January - February, 1987 New York, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Spring Fever, March - June, 2012 New York, Leila Heller Gallery, Double Vision: curated by Jane Holzer, 13 May - 15 July 2019, n.40 (illustrated)
Literature
Jeffrey Deitch, Susanne Geiss, Julia Gruen in collaboration with The Estate of K.Haring, Published by Rizzoli international publications inc., KEITH HARING, 2008, p. 430 (illustrated)
Haring's art and life typified youthful exuberance and fearlessness. While seemingly playful and transparent, Haring dealt with weighty subjects such as death, sex and war, enabling subtle and multiple interpretations.
Throughout his tragically brief career, Haring refined a visual language of symbols, which he called icons, the origins of which began with his trademark linear style scrawled in white chalk on the black unused advertising spaces in subway stations. Haring developed and disseminated these icons far and wide, in his vibrant and dynamic style, from public murals and paintings to t-shirts and Swatch watches. His art bridged high and low, erasing the distinctions between rarefied art, political activism and popular culture.
signed, titled and dated 'RED-YELLOW-BLUE # 2 JAN 11-1987 K. Haring' on the overlap acrylic on canvas 213.4 x 122.6 cm (84 x 48 1/4 in.) Executed in 1987.