June 14, 2023
ArtCenter College of Design Celebrates Artist and Activist Keith Haring
June 21 st Event Spotlights his only LA mural within a Legacy of Social Change
“I wanted to make a mural that would last, be something that could be looked at beyond the time when AIDS is an issue. This mural should be here for a long time, and AIDS shouldn’t be.” —Keith Haring at ArtCenter in 1989
In recognition of Pride Month, ArtCenter College of Design will present a panel conversation and debut a short film about artist Keith Haring and the mural he painted on campus in 1989, three months before his death, which remains his only public art in LA. The panel and short film will explore its place in a body of work dedicated to creating social change through public art. The Wednesday, June 21 st event’s programming begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be livestreamed to the Student Dining Room on the College’s Hillside Campus at 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena and artcenter.edu. Interested attendees may join a waitlist for limited seating here.
Moderated by ArtCenter President Karen Hofmann, the panel discussion will include Haring's sister, historian Kristen Haring; Broad Curator Sarah Loyer; Keith Haring Foundation Executive Director Gil Vazquez; ArtCenter Illustration Associate Chair Aaron Smith; Los Angeles Times Art Director Patrick Hruby; and muralist and recent ArtCenter Illustration alum Danny Brown.
The evening will also include a screening of a new short film pairing archival video with rare audio from Keith Haring’ lecture to our students reflecting on his approach to the mural and the meaning behind his public work.
The event, A Public Thing: Celebrating Keith Haring’s ArtCenter Mural and its place in a legacy of art, activism and social change ,is being presented in conjunction with the Broad Museum’s Keith Haring: Art is for Everybody exhibition open through October 8. The collection of more than 120 artworks and archival materials is the first -ever museum exhibition in Los Angeles of Keith Haring’s expansive body of work. Known for his use of vibrant color, energetic linework and iconic characters like the barking dog and the radiant baby, Haring’s work continues to dissolve barriers between art and life and spread joy, all while being rooted in the creative spirit and mission of his subway drawings and renowned public murals: art is for everybody.
In 1989, Keith Haring was invited to paint a mural at ArtCenter’s Hillside Campus in honor of the second annual World AIDS Day (then called AIDS Awareness Day) and as part of the first-ever Day Without Art. Haring agreed and spent two days painting freehand in front of an audience of students awed by Haring’s vision – at once joyful and playfully foreboding – unfolding before their eyes. The untitled work, which has become a literal centerpiece of the College’s Hillside Campus, remains the first and last mural Haring would paint in Los Angeles. Ten weeks after completing the mural, Haring died of complications related to HIV.
Today, the mural offers a daily source of inspiration to the College’s growing community of students focused on the social impact of art and design.
Visit Keith Haring’s ArtCenter Mural
Keith Haring’s Mural at ArtCenter, 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena, is available to view from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. when classes are in session. Guided tours of Keith Haring’s Mural at ArtCenter are available at noon on the fourth Saturday of each month from June to August (6/24, 7/22, 8/26). For more information, contact exhibitions@artcenter.edu.
About ArtCenter: Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and 10 graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves the general public through a highly regarded series of year-round online and on campus extension programs for all levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.
Contact
Teri Bond
Media Relations Director
ArtCenter College of Design
teri.bond@artcenter.edu
626 396-2385 office
