10 Facts About Keith Haring’s Apocalypse

The Apocalypse series is a result of the collaboration between Keith Haring and William S. Burroughs in 1988, merging Haring’s visual artistry with Burroughs’ groundbreaking textual cut-up method. This collaboration bridged two creative minds from different spheres, blending Haring's pictographic art with Burroughs' deconstructive approach to literature, showcasing a unique fusion of visual and textual art that reflects the complexities of the modern world.

Haring’s Apocalypse is notable for its incorporation of Egyptian hieroglyphic-inspired motifs, which are repeated and appropriated across the prints. This stylistic choice creates a memorable pictorial language that, when paired with Burroughs’ text, narrates disjointed and violent scenarios, inviting viewers to decipher the complex relationship between symbols and meanings within Haring’s idea of Armageddon.

A departure from his earlier, more whimsical works, the Apocalypse series reflects Haring’s shift towards darker themes. Created during the final years of his life amidst his battle with AIDS, the series examined themes of destruction, war, and hellish imagery, making a poignant statement on Haring’s internal and external turmoil during this period.

The series employs a striking use of collage, integrating high art, religious icons, and 1950s magazine imagery with Haring’s bold graffiti-style lines and primary colours. This choice not only highlights the contrast between innocence and the macabre but also underscores the surreal and chaotic nature of Haring’s depicted apocalyptic visions.

Haring’s upbringing and the media’s portrayal of the AIDS crisis as an apocalyptic event heavily influenced the religious and apocalyptic imagery in the Apocalypse series. By reinterpreting Christian iconography within the context of 1980s New York and his personal experiences, Haring crafts a cynical critique of religious manipulation and the societal response to the AIDS epidemic.

The recurring motif of devil sperm throughout the series serves as a stark commentary on the dangers of unchecked sexual behaviour, linking the joy of sex with the peril of disease. This imagery, alongside the mushroom cloud symbol, draws a parallel between the AIDS crisis and nuclear destruction, emphasising the catastrophic impact of the epidemic.

The Apocalypse series stands as a powerful artistic response to the AIDS crisis, offering a raw and visceral portrayal of the fear, stigma, and devastation associated with the disease during the 1980s. Haring’s personal battle with AIDS informs this work, making it a deeply personal reflection on the intersection of love, death, and disease.

Haring's Apocalypse is a masterclass in the use of screen-printing, a method that allowed him to achieve such vivid colours and sharp contrasts. This choice of medium highlights Haring's background in graffiti art, translating the immediacy and accessibility of street art into fine art. The series' composition, featuring bold, curving lines and blocks of primary colours, showcases Haring's skill in creating dynamic and impactful imagery that is both aesthetically striking and thematically profound.

Beyond its apocalyptic themes, the series is rich in symbolism, critiquing various aspects of contemporary society. Haring’s integration of technological-age monsters, television sets, and collapsing urban landscapes serves as a commentary on the pervasive anxiety and disillusionment of the Cold War era, consumer culture, and the rapid technological advancements of the time. This layering of symbols offers a multifaceted reading of the series, positioning Haring as a critical observer of his socio-political milieu.

Haring's use of the Mona Lisa in works like Apocalypse 2, Apocalypse 6, and Apocalypse 7 transforms iconic art history figures into his contemporary narratives. By blending this classical imagery with his Pop Art style, Haring creates a dialogue between past and present, challenging traditional art perceptions and highlighting the evolution of visual storytelling.