
Keith Haring - gene maggio/The New York Times
Keith Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990)
Keith Haring was probably one of the first people to try and break down the barrier between the emerging graffiti/street art and the world of high art.
His comic book stylised figures in bright 80’s day- glow colours came off the walls of New York City and into the galleries and museums of the world. His images belie their simple appearance and often contain highly politicised messages, like his 1986 wall painting ‘Crack is Wack’.
Keith Haring was born in 1958 in Pennsylvania. He moved to New York in 1978 and was inspired by the East Village club scene. His first graffiti art took the form of decorating billboards on the New York Subway either with marker pen or white chalk on blank boards. (this bio excerpt from artzine on artrepublic.com)