Universe of Keith Haring

A friend of Andy Warhol, of Grace Jones and of Jean-Michel Basquiat, KEITH HARING was the wunderkind of 1980s pop art. His sleek style and inimitable line earned him instant and global success. A openly gay pillar of the New York underground scene, Haring seemed to have always known that he would die young, even before receiving his HIV diagnosis. During his brief but meteoric career, Haring created a vast body of work in a playful style, much of it possessed of political messages and complex symbolism. Haring was determined that his work be accessible to as many people as possible. In this powerful and moving film by Claudia Clausen, Haring's friends and lifelong accomplices, Kenny Scharf, Yoko Ono, Tony Shafrazi, and many others, trace the personal and artistic journey of this extraordinary artist. Keith haring died of AIDS-related illnesses in 1990, at the age of 31. With audio excerpts of original interviews with Keith Haring, conducted by his biographer John Gruen (Keith Haring: The Authorized Biography, Simon & Shuster 1991).