8.9.11

coming clean

When Joe and I were in NYC in May, we visited the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. In the Asian Chapel there is a bronze tri-panel by the late Keith Haring. It was donated by Yoko Ono, who apparently welcomed Keith Haring into her home for his last months where he created this particular piece of art:




I've always liked his stuff. It's crisp, clean, energetic but smudged with humour to deliver a message. Or not.


Our tour guide had lived in the city long enough that he remembers seeing some of his graffiti around long before Haring became Known. (but then again he also remembered going to Studio 54, which makes me think that he perhaps didn't really)


Many (many, many) view graffiti as an Eyesore. I actually like it. Not the tags that proliferate occasionally, but real mural-type art. Along trains, under bridges... done well, I think it's very cool. And I like it better than seeing the scrubbed pale square leftover on the sides of buildings.


Change focus to last night. I'm standing in front of a display for cleaning implements (brooms, sponges) all decorated with Keith Haring's work ...

there were even lunchbags,
this is Maeve's new one