Keith Haring at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Exhibit “Art is For Everybody”: Behind the Scenes

One of the perks  of membership in the arts media is “the sneak preview” and in this case it was with the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto on 7November2023 which included a panel discussion and then a leisurely and uncrowded walk through the exhibits for the Haring exhibition, “Art is for Everybody” the first major Haring exhibit in Canada in 25 years running its only Canadian stop at the AGO which runs from 8November2023 to 17March2024.

Keith Haring was born in 1958 and grew up in Kutztown, Pennsylvania where his father taught him to draw cartoons from Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss. In 1978 he moved to New York City to attend The School of Visual Arts. It was here that he embraced his homosexuality and soaked in the emerging hip hop and graffiti scene. He developed his visual style alongside the artists Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Haring died of complications from AIDS in 1990 at age 33.

The AGO panel consisted of;

• Gil Vazquez (Executive Director, Keith Haring Foundation)
• Sarah Loyer (Curator and Exhibitions Manager, The Broad, Los Angeles)
• Georgiana Uhlyarik (Fredrik S. Eaton, Curator of Canadian Art, AGO)

Vazquez met Haring at 18 years of age and later became Executive Director of the Keith Haring Foundation. Vazquez noted the amazing energy, warmth and generosity of Haring. Haring wanted art for everybody and not the New York cloistered art world. An example of art being for everybody was Haring’s subway murals bringing the art gallery to those who were not art gallery frequenters. Haring thought it was the responsibility of the artist to reach out to the people. Haring established the Foundation so that his art could be carried on to future generations. The Foundation focuses on children and the struggle of those afflicted with AIDS.

Loyer of The Broad in Los Angeles was responsible for organizing “Art is For Everybody”.  Loyer noted that Haring addressed global events in his art using images from around the globe including indigenous art. In 1986 he opened the Pop Shop a retail art shop which was a reaction to the capitalist art world. It was founded after his subway drawing period ended in 1985. Apparently his subway drawings were being stolen right after he finished them.