Keith HaringJournal

From the age of 19 until his death from AIDS in 1990, at the age of 32, Keith Haring recorded in his notebooks his reflections on his work, his commercial success, his encounters, his homosexuality, his readings, and on his contemporaries. A pop art icon, internationally recognised at the age of 24, Haring knew that his journals would one day be published. Some of his texts betray this youthful self-awareness. His straightforward statements help us to understand the sexuality that permeates his art. They tell us a lot about his aesthetics, his creativity, his working methods, his competition with other artists, his openness to new experiences, his love of children, his dedication to his friends and his relentless struggle against illness. The texts are arranged by year and followed by a list of Haring’s exhibitions and projects. A glowing introduction by Yale art historian Thompson puts his work in context.