Keith Haring
POP SHOP IV, 1989
Silkscreen
Height 13 1/2 in
Available at VFA
The works of Keith Haring (1958-1990) are known, and loved, around the world. His paintings, sculptures…and more…are currently on exhibit at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Keith Haring in 3D will be on view through January 25, 2027.
A large mural by Haring has been installed at the new, luxurious Faena Hotel in NYC. Haring created the mural in 1983, during the Montreux Jazz Festival. He was invited to paint backdrops on the stage while musicians were performing.
More than 140 of Haring’s works will be on view at the Museo di Roma - Palazzo Braschi from October 6, 2026 to April 11, 2027. In addition to guided tours of the exhibit there will be educational activities for young people and schools.
Haring was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and raised in Kutztown. He moved to New York in 1978, where he studied at the School of Visual Arts. Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad Gooch, was published in 2024 and has been optioned for television.
He kept in close touch with his family and friends in his hometown. In 1987, he created We the Youth, a giant mural in Point Breeze, Pennsylvania, to commemorate America’s bicentennial.
The work was created in collaboration with young people from Pennsylvania and New York. It is the only mural by Haring that remains in the location in which it was commissioned.
It was nominated to be placed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. At a meeting of the Philadelphia Historical Commission on September 16, 2026, there was unanimous support for the nomination. A controversy developed about the restoration and upkeep of the mural when the building’s co-owner proposed removing the mural to preserve it and replacing it with a replica.
Another meeting has been scheduled for October 9, 2026 to try and resolve the issue of restoring and maintaining the mural.
Please contact us if you would like more information about the works of Keith Haring available at VFA.
References:
Larry Bleiberg. Beyond the Subway Walls: A Keith Haring Tour of the Graffiti Artist’s Pennsylvania Hometown. The Saturday Evening Post. September 28, 2026.
Jane Pauley. The New Season: Fall 2026 – The art of Keith Haring. CBS News. September 27, 2026.
Louis Monoyudis. Faena New York: Glamour on the High Line. Groove Jet Travel. September 25, 2026.
Lauren Rowello. Dispute over Keith Haring mural could shape historic designation. Philadelphia Gay News. September 23, 2026.
Isabella Segalovich. Keith Haring Mural May Decide the Fate of Public Art in Philly. Hyperallergic. September 14, 2026.
