Painter

Keith Haring

Keith Haring was an American artist known for outlined figures, public murals, subway drawings, vivid color, and recurring social themes in his work.

Keith Haring quick facts

Haring’s quick facts cover his New York art context, public work, and the social themes and visual language that shaped his practice and outreach.

Keith Haring quick facts
Full name	Keith Haring
Born	May 4, 1958 · Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	February 16, 1990 · New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Movements	Pop Art and street art
Paint types	Acrylic paint · Enamel paint · Fluorescent paint · Metallic paint · Spray paint · Vinyl paint
Other media	Drawing (chalk · sumi ink · marker) · printmaking · sculpture
Other materials	—
Painting surfaces	Canvas · Paper · Cardboard · Vinyl · Wood · Fiberglass · Metal · Plaster
Painting methods	Spontaneous freehand outlines without preliminary sketches, followed by flat color and repeated motion marks
Common subjects	Radiant babies, barking dogs, dancing figures, hearts, crowds, public life, sexuality, AIDS awareness, racism, consumer culture, violence, technology, and social connection
Notable works	Michael Stewart – USA for Africa · Safe Sex · Untitled (1982)

Sources: Keith Haring Foundation biography, Keith Haring Foundation: Haring All-Over, Keith Haring Foundation: Michael Stewart – USA for Africa, Whitney Museum: Safe Sex, Whitney Museum: Untitled (1981), The Broad: Untitled (1982), Museum Brandhorst: Untitled (1982), and Keith Haring Foundation interview.

Paint types used by Keith Haring

The works below connect Keith Haring's documented use of acrylic, enamel, and fluorescent to specific paintings, studies, and works on paper.

Acrylic paint

The Whitney catalogs Safe Sex (1985) as acrylic on canvas. Haring used acrylic in bold, flat passages and outlined figures, applying the medium across murals, public projects, and studio works. The canvas record documents one part of this practice, distinct from his use of enamel, vinyl paint, and spray paint on other surfaces.
Enamel paint

The National Gallery of Victoria records enamel paint in Haring’s Untitled (Television man) and in other works with spray paint on metal. He used enamel as a durable, glossy layer on rigid supports, sometimes combining it with metallic paint or aerosol marks; the museum records distinguish each component.
Fluorescent paint

Museum Brandhorst records fluorescent paint in Haring’s Untitled. Haring used vivid pigments in works designed to glow under ultraviolet light, making the lighting conditions part of how the image was experienced. This documented effect is distinct from his ordinary acrylic murals and canvases.
Metallic paint

The National Gallery of Victoria identifies metallic paint on composition board in Untitled (Television man) (1984). Its reflective finish forms part of paired television-headed panels painted for Melbourne’s Hardware Club, so the material interacts with the surrounding light and reinforces the work’s technological imagery.
Vinyl paint

The Whitney records vinyl paint on tarpaulin in an untitled work from 1981. Haring painted directly on flexible construction tarp, using a utilitarian material as a support for his graphic figures. The museum identifies the vinyl-based paint specifically, separating it from his acrylic canvas works.
Spray paint

The National Gallery of Victoria documents enamel, spray paint, and oil stick in a Haring work on enameled metal. Aerosol marks appear alongside other materials rather than standing in for all the paint; this specific record supports spray paint as one part of his mixed-media process.

Sources: Whitney: Safe Sex (1985), Whitney: Keith Haring, NGV: Untitled (Television man), NGV: Untitled (Dancing dog), Museum Brandhorst: Untitled, Whitney: Untitled (1981), Lannan Foundation: Untitled (1981)

Painting surfaces used by Keith Haring

Records identify Keith Haring's use of canvas, paper, and cardboard, with named examples below showing how each support functions in the finished work.

Canvas

Haring painted on canvas, including the Whitney’s Safe Sex (1985), recorded as acrylic on canvas. This studio work carries his characteristic outlined figures and direct message, while other records document his painting on tarpaulin, metal, wood, and molded forms. This record documents a studio painting on canvas.
Paper

Haring made drawings and painted compositions on paper, using a portable sheet for quick lines, notes, and finished graphic images. Museum collections document these works alongside large public murals and studio paintings, showing that his practice moved between small sheets and monumental supports.
Cardboard

Haring used cardboard in selected works and street-related pieces, transforming discarded packaging into a surface for his outlined figures and signs. This inexpensive support connects the work to everyday materials and differs from the canvases and construction tarpaulins documented in museum collections.
Vinyl

Haring painted on vinyl surfaces, including flexible construction tarpaulins. The Whitney records vinyl paint on a vinyl tarp in an untitled 1981 work, documenting both the support and coating. Its flexibility contrasts with rigid boards and metal panels. The catalog distinguishes both the paint and support.
Wood

Haring painted on wood panels and objects, using the rigid surface for bold symbols and figures. Museum records document painted wooden works within his broader practice, alongside canvas, paper, and industrial materials. The support can be an object or panel rather than a neutral picture surface.
Fiberglass

Haring’s painted fiberglass sculptures carry his imagery onto molded three-dimensional forms. The material allows the line and color to wrap around a sculptural object, extending his graphic language beyond flat canvases. Collection records document these painted objects as fiberglass rather than as paintings on a conventional ground.
Metal

Haring painted on metal, including the enameled metal documented by the National Gallery of Victoria. The rigid industrial support carries enamel, spray paint, and oil stick in layered marks, distinguishing these works from his acrylic canvases and vinyl tarpaulins. The material record confirms this layered combination.
Plaster

Plaster casts and relief supports appear in selected painted works by Haring. The modeled surface carries color on a three-dimensional form, linking his graphic imagery to sculptural objects rather than to a flat wall or canvas. Retain the row for documented painted plaster examples.