Famed graffiti artist keith haring 19581990 painted this fanciful mural, located at east 128th street and the harlem river drive, in 1986. This mural 1986 on handball court at 128th street and 2nd avenue was inspired by the crack epidemic and its effect on new york city. Haring made this piece in response to the citywide crackcocaine epidemic of the late 80s. Artist keith haring was born on may 4, 1958, in reading, pennsylvania. It is a monochromatic piece in orange with harings signature black lines outlining the lettering and characters. It was created as a warning and was initially executed independently, without city permission. With new and breaking artists commissioned to paint on top of weary older pieces, this area of nyc will continue to show off great work for a long time to come. Keith harings crack is wack mural in new york city gets a second. The best graffiti art around the world eisner museum. Among the most difficult to find of keith haring record illustrations. Keith haring was born on may 4, 1958 in reading, pennsylvania, and was raised in nearby kutztown, pennsylvania. Crack is wack playground news iconic crack is wack. One of harings most famous works is a public mural painted on a handball court on 128th street and 2nd avenue. Then some lesserknown graffiti artists entered the seldomused park and changed the wording to crack is it.
Keith haring keith haring crack is wack record art 1987. We are happy to see keith harings crack is wack mural being. The crack is wack mural in new york city is more than just one of the most recognized works by the legendary keith haring. Graffiti has long straddled the line between vandalism and art. Early on an overcast fall morning, the artist returned to the park with cans. At the time, the artists assistant benny was also struggling to curb his. The crack is wack playground is a real thing dangerous. However, we believe these are the worlds top most famous graffiti artists. Graffiti art of the city, from the bronx to brooklyn the. Haring eventually moved into sculptures, becoming known as one of the leading pop and graffiti artists of the keith haring crack is wack print on canvas, print on wood, print on steel or print on paper. The estate of keith haring, the artist who became famous for his rounded cartoon figures before his death from aids in 1990, is financing a restoration of a twosided mural, crack is wack, which haring painted in 1986 in harlem river park along the franklin d. Inspired by the graffiti artists whose tags covered the citys subway cars, haring began to draw in white chalk over the black paper used to cover vacant advertising panels.
A restoration of the historic, twosided mural crack is wack by keith haring was underway on the east harlem handball court located on harlem river drive at 128th street second avenue. Where to find new yorks best street art, murals and graffiti. Haring created the eyecatching mural independently, without the permission of the city. A guide to 10 nyc murals you should check out right now. Have you seen all 5 of keith harings murals in nyc. In 1986, famed graffiti artist painted the crack is wack mural on the handball court wall. Shortly after its painting, lesser known graffiti artistsor perhaps lowlevel dealerschanged the wording to crack is it. Every year a theme and artists are chosen to decorate this part of park avenue, manhattan new york.
From keith harings crack is wack piece to banksys mural on the bowery wallexplore new yorks most historic and famous street art hot spots. The crack is wack mural was originally painted by keith haring in 1986. Crack is wack is arguably known as keith haring s most legendary work and the most iconic mural in new york city. Painted in 1986, crack is wack was a direct response to the crack epidemic that swept new york city in the 1980s. Located in harlem, new york, crack is wack is the ironic mural by keith haring also known as the most legendary artwork of the littlemen artist. The crack is wack mural is a testament to the enduring power of harings art, which arose first in public spaces, jonathan kuhn, the. However, in this article we only look at murals created by graffiti artists.
A mural is a painting or other work of art executed directly on a wall. For over 30 years this wall at a harlem schoolyard have been a gallery of local street artists. The mural was refurbished and repainted by artists louise hunnicutt and william tibbals, and the project was sponsored by the keith haring foundation. The mural, done in harings signature style of thick black outlines, bright colors and intermingling, cartoonlike bodies, was painted to send a serious antidrug message to the community. This time new york city parks commissioner henry stern stepped in and personally invited haring to repaint the mural. Early on an overcast fall morning, the artist returned to the park with cans of latex house paint and a blaring box. Best graffiti in nyc to see from street art murals to. Keith harings iconic east harlem mural, crack is wack, is back. Save here, were revisiting a haring piece with his bestknown graffiti art. Crack is wack is a mural created in 1986 by the street artist and social activist keith haring. Benny was one of the major catalysts for crack is wack. Harings mural cautions youth against the drugs use. The story behind the keith harings crack is wack mural. Bipo was a singer and a haring assistant at the pop shop in new york city.
The hall is not a museum of vintage graffiti but an everchanging canvas for new pieces whose lineage stretches back to subway art and stars of the first wave of graffiti, like blade, seen, lee. Graffiti are writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched or painted illicitly on a wall or other surface, often within public view. And the genres ability to walk that line is exactly whats made it so compelling since it exploded in the 70s and 80s. Whether theyve reached the top as a result of their artistic ability, sheer quantity or a knack for selfpromotion. So, the piece was considered vandalism and the artist was then arrested. However, graffiti is still considered vandalism and some of the most renowned works by street artists have been removed by authorities. Like many other street artists of the time, haring chose a spot that had. Crack is a highly potent, addictive, and dangerous form of smokable cocaine whose use reached epidemic proportions in the mid to late 1980s. Crack use reached epidemic proportions in the mid to late 1980s which is why haring decided to caution youth against the drugs use through art. Here are the 10 most famous murals created by graffiti artists including crack is wack by keith haring. The doublesided murals location in manhattan on 128th street, next to the incessant passing of cars on harlem river drive, possibly plays a huge role in this, gathering more daily views than any other mural in the city. Crack is wack is arguably keith harings bestknown work.
Keith harings crack is wack from illegal to protected. Keith haring moved to new york city as a young man to turn his artistic talents toward colorful graffiti art. We are very aware that there are so many great graffiti artist around the wold. This is one example of the many public paintings and murals haring produced all over the world from 198289, but it is. Lets see which are the 5 murals with the most famous graffiti by haring. Crack is wack is very notable work of keith haring which was the mural painting. Graffiti and street art have been synonymous with new york city since the 70s, as the movement grew. Perhaps sensing the crack epidemic of the 1980s reaching a fever pitch, the parks department contacted him months later with a request to finish the mural. Mr keith haring had started professional mural painting after recognization from national gallery of victoria, and after its recognition, one more association came forward for financial assistance, it was the australian centre for. Not only was haring was able to reach a large and diverse audience with his subway. How louise hunnicutt brought keith harings crack is wack mural.
Banksy is another graffiti artist from england who produces his work anonymously, he. The crack is wack mural in new york city is a piece of art that has defined the generation of the 1980s. A restored version of keith harings 1986 mural crack is wack photo. He moved to new york city in 1978 and began using the city as his canvas, making chalk drawings in. Keith haring, 1986 located at east 128th street in new york, new york. Keith allen haring may 4, 1958 february 16, 1990 was an american artist whose pop art and graffitilike work grew out of the new york city street culture of the 1980s. The now famous crack is wack mural of 1986 has become a landmark along new yorks fdr drive.
Crack cocaine was a huge problem in the new york city area in the mid1980s and haring. Keith haring was born on may 4, 1958 in reading, pennsylvania, and grew up in the neighboring town of kutztown. Harings famous mural on the wall of a handball court in harlem, ny. The most influential public art in new york city history. Worlds best painters for top creative practitioners, see. Haring and the rest of his studio were close with him and they tried everything to help him kick his addiction. Keith harings iconic crack is wack mural in east harlem. Located at east 128th street and 2nd avenue in east harlem, new. He developed a love for drawing at a very early age, learning basic cartooning skills from his father and from the popular culture around him, such as dr. We are grateful to the conservators and the keith haring foundation for its continuing support to. Its been 33 years since keith haring painted his crack is wack mural on a handball court near the harlem river drive in east harlem, and now the iconic work is getting a muchneeded restoration.
Get to know the artists who turn tags into galleryworthy displays. Much of his work includes sexual allusions that turned into social activism. But in recent weeks, artist louise hunnicutt, with support of the keith. Haring, a ubiquitous graffiti artist and social activist, painted the bright. It was inspired by the crack epidemic and its effect on the community. Five of the greatest american graffiti artists bespoke post. As a symbol of antidrug activism, crack is wack commemorates. Crack is wack is a mural created in 1986 by the street artist and social activist keith haring located at east 128 th street and 2 nd avenue in east harlem, new york city, the mural serves as a warning against crack cocaine use, which was rampant in major cities across the united states during the mid to late 1980s. See more ideas about keith haring, haring art and keith haring art. Around this time, haring often drove by a handball court on east 128th street, which. Crack is wack was created in 1986 by keith haring in street art style. He was arrested for graffiti painting on public property and the mural was. For one, it probably has more daily views than any other mural in nyc, due to its location next to passing cars on the harlem river drive in manhattan at 128th street.
Crack is wack influential artist keith haring was responsible for creating a slew of great works in the 1980s. Graffiti artists like banksy, shepard fairey, zephyr, blade, david choe, saber. Murals have been created by many artists including the renowned mexican painter diego rivera. Crack is wack playground earned its distinctive name after artist keith haring 19581990 painted the nowfamous crack is wack mural in 1986 on the handball court walls. The two murals on either side of the wall not only still stand, the parks department has officially named the park the crack is. Benny was harings young, gifted studio assistant in the mid1980s who became addicted to crack. Keith haring created his neon orange crack is wack mural in 1986 at a harlem handball court, during the height of new york citys crack. This invitation to the party at tunnel uses the same image as read more. In 1986, keith haring illegally painted his infamous crack is wack doublesided mural on 128th street in manhattan as a response to the crackcocaine epidemic in new york at the time. Best street art locations in new york city hypebeast. The mural was never commissioned nor did the city grant haring permission to paint it, but haring executed the piece. While many graffiti and artists took to leaving their distinctive graffiti on trains and walls with spray cans, keith haring could be found merging experimental performance art. Crack is wack is a public mural painted on a handball court in harlem, new york city that can be seen from fdr drive. Its a piece of art that has defined the generation of the 1980s and.
Keith harings iconic east harlem mural, crack is wack. Keith haring crack is wack, 1986, handball court at 128th street and. It might also be the most famous mural in new york city. Arguably harings most legendary workand new yorks most iconic muralis the doublesided crack is wack painting. He achieved this by using sexual images to advocate for safe sex and aids awareness harings work grew to popularity from. Crack is wack, picture from the series skateboards by keith haring, lumas artist.
A brief history of new york city street art grandlife. Harings crack is wack mural is being restored the new. Find more prominent pieces of graffiti at best visual art database. It is a large orange mural made to raise awareness of the serious cocaine problem, prominent in new york city during the 1980s. Discover the story behind street artist keith harings iconic crack is wack mural in new york city. Worlds top 20 most famous graffiti artists graffiti. Located at east 128 th street and 2 nd avenue in east harlem, new york city, the mural serves as a warning against crack cocaine use, which was rampant in major cities across the united states during the mid to late 1980s. Haring painted the mural, on opposite sides of a handball court wall, as the crackcocaine. Famous graffiti artists are respected in the same way as other professional artists, keith harings work can be found in the museum of modern art, he is known for his large scale graffiti work in a new york city park entitled crack is wack. Harings work is a true testament to the notion that artists who specialize in public tagging will go to extreme lengths to spread their message.