"Keith Haring: Heaven and Hell"
2002-05-10 until 2002-07-21
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Rotterdam, , NL Netherlands

The American painter, graphic artist, and sculptor, Keith Haring, is one of the most popular artists of our time. Eleven years after his death, his works still have a significant impact on the general public. Haring's immediately recognisable figures, such as the logos of stylised, radiating dogs and babies, have become part of our visual culture. This exhibition brings the less well-known and stylistically utterly diverse Keith Haring into focus with the presentation of over 80 of his works (paintings and drawings).From the very beginning Keith Haring dealt with the meaning of death, violence, and sin, of power, religion, and redemption.

The theme of sexuality also repeatedly challenged him to create new images. Another focal point of his artwork is the depiction of the individual as part of the anonymous mass or as an isolated figure standing against it. The confrontation with the immune deficiency disease AIDS, to which he succumbed at the age of 31, is also the theme of many pictures and drawings. It is only from this perspective that we can fully comprehend Keith Haring's life-affirming and colourful "icons" as alternative images of hopeDuring the exhibition a party of wel known graffiti artists wil present their work on the wall surrounding the museums' building site.

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for Netherlands

Other Important Exhibitions in Netherlands