Keith Haring was one of the most recognized young artists, filmmakers, and artists whose work engaged with the urban culture of the 1980s. Inspired by the graffiti artists whose tags covered subway cars, Haring began drawing with white chalk on the black paper used to cover empty advertising panels.
As early as 1980, Haring began exhibiting in galleries and museums around the world, but he continued to participate in public projects, creating murals, sculptures and paintings to benefit hospitals, underprivileged children's groups and various community health organizations.
When he opened his Pop Shop at 292 Lafayette Street, he envisioned it as a physical extension of his work, a place where everyone could experience his art. He believed in the importance of using commercial projects like the Pop Shop to reach people who might otherwise never have encountered his message—a legacy that lives on today in these pencils.
