Keith Haring: In this article, you would know everything about Keith Haring- From his childhood to death. But still if you have any query so write it in our comment section. We would give you answer very soon.
Keith Haring- Cause of death
The date of death of this great pop art artist was February 16, 1990. He spread AIDS-related awareness, and this AIDS-related complication was the reason for his death.
His most paintings are related to AIDS campaign that’s why Keith Haring has been commemorated in the AIDS Memorial Quilt (Celebrate the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes.)
The act has been documented in her film Truth or Dare, this film had faced severe criticism, but it was this film. It was successful at the box office.
During the pop art movement, Keith Haring was the torchbearer of this awareness. And these all things have been documented in Red Hot + Blue and Red Hot + Dance. And his death has also been covered.
The paintings and artworks of Keith Haring demonstrate political and personal influences. He had made two famous artworks to demonstrate the frustration of his death.
These paintings show the relationship between his death and artistic expression- The Boxers (1987) & A mural by Haring in Barcelona etc.
His own small exhibition Pop shop is still open (After Haring’s death). And its whole profit goes to the Keith Haring Foundation. And if you want to see the real artwork of this artist, then you should go to this foundation.
Keith Haring was very frustrated due to the AIDS epidemic. And this artist had shown these feeling in his later work such as Silence=Death & Untitled (cat. no. 27).
Weeping Woman is his last painting of AIDS campaign series wherein he has portrayed his fear of death (According to the source.)
Keith Haring was a gay, and he did work for the Gay liberation movement, that’s why you see the strong relationship among AIDS campaign, Gay liberation movement & Keith Haring death.
Frequently asked 6 questions
1- What was the main reason of his death?
The reason of his death was HIV AIDS, now many people would say that it would not be the reason because he used his work to advocate for safe sex.
Well nobody would like to show this kind of illness. But, this artist accepted it and spread the awareness of safe sex. Haring was openly gay and used his work to advocate for safe sex.
2- Why was Keith Haring diagnosed with AIDS if he was a strong advocate of safe sex?
Keith Haring was quite sexually active and he used to take artistic inspiration from his sexual activities. Haring had so many lesbian and gay friends. Perhaps, it was the reason.
Although, some people believe- He got HIV during his medical treatment. So, any of these two theories can be right.
The health condition of Keith Haring was very bad. Because of his health condition and the deaths of his two friends Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, he felt he had something to prove.
That’s why, he had started this HIV AIDS campaign with his artistic expression. Otherwise, Keith Haring used to make these kinds of paintings earlier as well.
3- How AIDS Memorial Quilt is related to his death?
AIDS Memorial Quilt is an enormous memorial to celebrate the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes.
Haring is among those commemorated in the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Thus, it is officially proven that his cause of death was nothing but HIV aids.
Keith Haring was also an AIDS activist. And the idea of the AIDS Memorial Quilt was conceived on November 27, 1985, by AIDS activist Cleve Jones
Keith Haring told about this place in his words- Quilt is a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people lost to the AIDS pandemic.
The goal of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is to bring awareness to how massive the AIDS pandemic really is, and raise funds and support to fight against this pandemic by spreading awareness.
4- What can be learned from the life of this artist?
There are many things you may learn but the most important thing is having safe sex. Many paintings convey this message such as “Crack is Wack”, “The Barking Dog” and the “Radiant Baby”
He conveyed this message- The human body can’t get rid of HIV and no effective HIV cure exists. So, once you have HIV, you have it for life. That’s why safe sex is the only cure.
Keith Haring was openly gay and used his artworks to advocate for safe sex. You may learn from his determination.
Once he had said- “My life is my art, it’s intertwined…When AIDS became a reality in terms of my life, it started becoming a subject in my paintings.
The more it affected my life the more it affected my work.”
5- Which are the main artworks of Keith Haring that convey the message of safe sex?
Most of his artworks convey the message of safe sex. But these are the most liked artworks.
If you also want to become an AIDS activist or something like him so you may also use these paintings in your AIDS awareness campaign.
These top 5 paintings would definitely help you.
- Crack Is Wack (1986)
- Free South Africa (1985)
- Ignorance = Fear (1989)
- Fight Aids Worldwide (1990)
- Safe Sex (1988)
6- How were his final years before death?
Keith Haring died on February 16, 1990, of HIV AIDS-related complications. He was openly gay and used his work to advocate for safe sex.
He was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1987, and within three years, this deadly disease killed our favorite artist.
Because of his health condition and the deaths of his friends Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, he felt he had something to prove.
That’s why, he started designing paintings to spread awareness against AIDS. Thus, if there is only one thing that can be said to summarise the effort of Keith Haring in the final years of his death is his AIDS awareness campaign
This artist used his imagery during the last years of his life to speak about his illness.
He wanted to say you don’t need to be shameless but you should not avoid this social issue. That’s why, he criticized the avoidance of social issues such as AIDS.
In one of his interviews, he said, “My life is my art, it’s intertwined…When AIDS became a reality in terms of my life, it started becoming a subject in my paintings. The more it affected my life the more it affected my work”.
Keith Haring: Labyrinths of Life and Death
Keith Haring death cause
Keith Haring was a gay, but he always advocated safe sex, in his paintings of radiant babies, we can see the explicit depiction of his thought- He was the torch bearer of AIDS awareness campaign in New York city because in many paintings.
He spread the awareness between a healthy life and socially taboo things through his paintings. But it is unfortunate that in the year 1988, Mr Keith Haring was diagnosed with AIDS.
But still, he is remembered for his contribution, many art galleries such as Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and National Gallery of Victoria featured him 100 (solo and group) exhibitions.
In last years of life, Mr Keith Haring made many paintings to express his feelings, that’s why in many paintings, depictions, drawings and murals of Keith Haring, we see the content of awareness about AIDS
He used to make representations of radiant babies to express that how bad per se wrong activities with your partner can plunge you in the well of severe disease.
Still, to raise funds for this disease patients, Red Hot Organization organises AIDS awareness campaign. If you want to see the functions of this whole organisation, then you may prefer the “Truth or Dare” film.
HIV/AIDS Patient
His AIDS awareness campaign is counted among the top work of American History because when the severity of this disease was at the peak, the Keith Haring devoted his all paintings for the awareness of this disease.
He had openly accepted that he is gay and he feels proud that he is one among the pioneers of the Gay lesbian movement.
He always emphasized on the healthy lifestyle- Means healthy physical relationship whether you are from any community (male, female, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender etc.), his later work (mural paintings- Crack is Wack) address many societal and political problem through his paintings- Especially AIDS and homosexuality through his iconographic paintings.
But it is an unfortunate thing that the reason behind Keith Haring’s death was- HIV/AIDS. On Feb 16, 1990, we lost this pop art artist.
According to his medical report- AIDS-related complications was the reason behind his death. In 1988, Keith Haring was diagnosed with AIDS.
At that time, we had not that much medical assistance and facilities.
Still “Keith Haring Foundation” organises charity programme for patients who are suffering from this disease and can’t afford first medical facilities and assistance.
