The Universe of Keith Haring

Directed / Written: Christina Klauson

Review by Rowan Harrison

It is quite common in art school, that students are instructed to study and learn from the masters, so we spend a great deal of time digesting the Degas’s, the Seargent’s, the Goya’s and of course Da Vinci.  Yet at the same time we sometimes neglect the modern contemporary masters such as Warhol, Pollack, Hockney and here is another Keith Haring, all great and prolific artists who were influential and in many ways were ahead of their time.

I’ll skip the whole chronological order of the film, except to say that he spent most of his time drawing while growing up in Pennsylvania.  That led to his first one man art show at the Pittsburgh Art and Crafts Center, at the age of 20, not too bad.  Like any other aspiring artist at the time, and against his parents’ wishes, he moved to New York in 1978, and enrolled in the School of Visual Arts.

I am not sure if I enjoy the whole pop graffiti motif that was supported by the late 70’s New York underground hip hop movement.  Becoming interested in graffiti he kept close company with hip hop writers and artist such as Fab 5 Freddy.  According to art critic Carlos McCormick “he was living off the fumes of graffiti and public art, Keith’s work was the best example to understanding the spirit of graffiti.” 

However I do appreciate the magnitude and volume that Haring was putting out, not to mention that he worked big, take for example the numerous murals he did in other countries.  He worked on the streets, in the subways, believing in bringing “the museum to the streets and to the general public, it made a moment for the viewer that would stay with them forever and this is what artist should do.”  The film, loaded with archival film footage adequately puts Haring in the spotlight of his moments of unbridled creativity.  Giving us a window into his spontaneous, confident and free flowing line quality, and use of bright vivid colors, that complimented his environment and lifestyle.

Haring’s story takes us too many different parts of the world, the Far East, Europe and South America as it documents his many different tours and openings.  Yet what is so interesting about Haring’s universe is the whole decadent New York art scene during the late 70’s and early 80’s.  It was such a flamboyant and glitzy nightclub, bohemian crowd, that encompassed  many different personalities, such as Warhol, Grace Jones, Jean Michael Basquiat, Yoko Ono, even the once unknown, Madonna.

With a strong creative energy, Haring was a man who was at the right place at the right time, a critical and important element to any successful artist.  Yet Haring’s influence and associations go way beyond the canvases and art galleries, as the film takes a concerning look into his gay lifestyle which eventually led to his battle with Aids.  With a great deal of interviews from family, friends, and close associates to Haring and audio excerpts from Haring, The Universe of Keith Haring is a sensitive portrait to another member of New York’s school of advante garde.