Untitled

In Untitled, Keith Haring’s iconic radiant baby, teeming with positive energy and innocence, crawls across a newsprint from February 28, 1989. Rendered on that day’s newspaper, the center figure transforms an ephemeral piece of visual culture into an everlasting emblem. A striking red figure emblazons the center of the sheet, evoking a sense of curiosity and growth. In using a page from La Vanguardia, the Spanish daily news outlet, as his support, Haring commemorates a special moment in history. Haring famously visited Spain in the last year of his life, setting out to paint a mural in Salvador Seguí square, amassing a group of local artists as well as loyal supporters and fans to partake in and witness the project. The square had a reputation for being dangerous, which speaks to Haring’s interest in the improvement of the community through art. Perhaps by sanctifying the space with his trademark figures of hope and peace, he could transform and unify the neighborhood.

Known for his magnanimous spirit, Haring met the original owner of Untitled, Jaime Delgado, at the Ars Studio club in Barcelona prior to the mural project. As a bilingual active member of the art community, Delgado was thrilled to hear about the project and agreed to attend the event. Following the completion of the mural, Haring generously gave out personal tokens to all of the supporters, including Delgado. In Untitled from 1989, we see both a talented and influential artist whose life mission was to make art accessible to all and to use it to promote harmony and optimism around the world.