Mid-term Critical Art ReviewINTE 398Mackenzie Kerton40058040Karen HerlandMarch 6th, 2018Many people have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Though progress has been made,HIV/AIDS is still kept under scrutiny and oppressed by the majority. Through the hardshipsfaced also comes beauty and intellectualism. We see this through many artists, one being KeithHaring.
Haring was born on May 4th, 1958 in Pennsylvania. Throughout his youth andadolescence, he held a deep love for art. Drawing in particular. After moving to New York City in1978, Haring developed a true appreciation and passion for the expressive art pieces residingaround the city and in subway stations. He was hooked and began creating exhibitions of hisown to present to the world. His work, comprised mostly of social and cultural messages, wasknown on an international level after only a few years. Sadly, in 1988, Haring was diagnosedwith AIDS. (The Keith Haring Foundation: Bio) The Keith Haring Foundation was created andsuddenly Keith’s approach to his art was aimed at raising awareness and killing the stigmasurrounding the disease that had altered his life and the way he was perceived by the masses.There is a distinct difference in his works before and after his diagnosis. The three pieces beinganalyzed are Untitled(1982), Rebel with Many Causes(1989), and Fight AIDS Worldwide(1990). Through the analysis, the messages and the reactions will be discussed.An untitled piece created in 1982 depicts two seemingly male cartoon figures expressingultimate happiness. In the background, the viewer can see the presence of a beaming heart.