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The Brant Foundation announces Keith Haring, an exhibition of works by the American artist. Revisiting Haring’s formative years of 1980–1983, the exhibition traces his meteoric rise from the subways of New York to international fame. Opening to the public March 11, 2026, the exhibition will be on view at the Foundation’s East Village space in the bustling downtown neighborhood where a young Haring began his career.

“We are honored to be working again with Dr. Dieter Buchhart and Dr. Anna Karina Hofbauer to present an important selection of works by Keith Haring from a pivotal moment in the artist’s career and in our Nation’s history,” said The Brant Foundation’s founder, Peter M. Brant. “Haring was a champion for important causes of his time, particularly the AIDS crisis. He used his art to support his tireless activism and advocate for change, inspiring millions with his distinct style.” 

Keith Haring (American, b. 1958, d. 1990) remains one of the most celebrated and influential figures in American art, renowned for breaking traditional art world boundaries and transferring the energy of the East Village’s streets to galleries. Emerging from the downtown New York subculture of the early 1980s, Haring took inspiration from the everyday urban spaces he inhabited. From his spontaneous, early-career chalk drawings in subway stations, to his vibrant, pop-inspired works that addressed social issues ranging from the AIDS epidemic to the drug crisis, Haring shepherded a body of work that was both visually dynamic and socially engaged.

The exhibition, curated by Dr. Dieter Buchhart and Dr. Anna Karina Hofbauer, features a selection of landmark masterworks that defined Haring’s early career. Included are works from the artist’s 1982 exhibition at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, where Haring’s legendary Blacklight Room immersed audiences in glowing, ephemeral color, as well as from the FUN Gallery show of 1983, a pioneering venue on the Lower East Side that championed the fusion of street-art and gallery culture.

Buchhart cites the timelessness of Haring’s work as inspiration for the exhibition, stating, “Like a positive humanist virus, Haring’s urban guerrilla art lives on in our collective memory, fighting against ignorance, fear, and silence. His humanist code resonates with a universality that transcends time and place. And in the spirit of today’s Emoji euphoria, we might well proclaim: For better or worse, we are all speaking Haring now.”

Throughout his career, Haring crafted one of the most recognizable and celebrated artistic styles with a series of iconic symbols, themes, and motifs that permeated his work. It was this instantly identifiable and exuberant quality that helped drive the artist’s career. Crafted with baked enamel on metal, his 1981 untitled work showing a pink smiling face serves as a predecessor to the digital age with its emoji-like iconography, highlighting Haring’s desire for a universal system of communication. Haring’s frequently repeated symbols were a constant throughout his work, which developed its own – almost geometric – language. In another untitled work from 1981, the artist’s trademark dogs are seen in a scene filled with rhythm and infectious energy. Often acting as lively companions or symbolic messengers, the dogs embody a playful pleasure in the show of shared experience. Surrounded by signature, energetic lines, the composition itself seems to vibrate with life. Haring’s mastery of space through line is demonstrated in the artist’s 1982 untitled work, depicting a psychedelic Mickey Mouse, through his ability to capture movement and subversive energy in fluid, uninterrupted ink strokes. The painting stands out as an example of his playful takes on distinctly American imagery, a recurring aspect of not only Haring’s works, but Neo-Expressionists and Pop artists working in the same period like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf, and Andy Warhol. 

With this presentation, the Brant Foundation’s East Village location continues its commitment to celebrating the legacy of artists who defined New York’s downtown art scene of the 80s. Following major surveys of Jean-Michel Basquiat (2019), Andy Warhol (2023), and Kenny Scharf (2024), the Foundation now turns to Haring, reaffirming its dedication to preserving the history of this pivotal cultural era.

Join in the conversation with The Brant Foundation on Instagram via @TheBrantFoundation. 

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