Art Index: Keith Haring

Artist biography

Keith Haring joined a long but sporadic lineage of 20th century artists who brought elements of popular culture, "low art," and non-art elements into the formerly exclusive "high art" spaces of museums and galleries. He drew on the techniques and locales of street-based art such as graffiti and murals, employed bright and artificial colors, and kept imagery accessible in order to grab the eyes and minds of viewers and allow them to both enjoy themselves and engage with important concerns. Along with his art contemporaries, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf, Haring opened the field of possibility for how seemingly simple and even cartoony elements from self-taught or less-schooled artists might be appreciated.

Keith Haring at work in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Source, unknown author, 1986

Auctions results

The oldest auction result ever registered on the website for an artwork by this artist was a watercolor drawing that was sold in 1984 at Sotheby's, and the most recent auction result is a multiple-print that sold in 2020.

According to the website Artprice.com, the turnover of Keith Haring's artwork in 2019 was worth $31 million USD (541 lots sold), and the price evolution in 2019 is plus 33%.

Since the beginning of the century, Haring’s most bought art pieces have been paintings (55% of lots sold, worth over $122 million dollars) followed by drawings/ watercolors (19% with 1,230 pieces sold).

Upcoming public auctions

19th September 2020 10:30 AM

FauveParis 49 rue Saint-Sabin 75011 Paris France

22 September 2020

Online only Christie's 8 King Street St. James's SW1Y 6QT London United Kingdom