It was created as a warning and was initially executed independently, without city permission. 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. Keith harings iconic crack is wack mural in east harlem. 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.
The crack is wack mural in new york city is a piece of art that has defined the generation of the 1980s. A mural is a painting or other work of art executed directly on a wall. Haring and the rest of his studio were close with him and they tried everything to help him kick his addiction. It is a large orange mural made to raise awareness of the serious cocaine problem, prominent in new york city during the 1980s. Crack is wack is arguably known as keith haring s most legendary work and the most iconic mural in new york city. 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. In 1986, famed graffiti artist painted the crack is wack mural on the handball court wall. However, graffiti is still considered vandalism and some of the most renowned works by street artists have been removed by authorities. Crack is wack is a mural created in 1986 by the street artist and social activist keith haring. Crack cocaine was a huge problem in the new york city area in the mid1980s and haring.
Get to know the artists who turn tags into galleryworthy displays. 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. Find more prominent pieces of graffiti at best visual art database. 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. The mural was refurbished and repainted by artists louise hunnicutt and william tibbals, and the project was sponsored by the keith haring foundation. We are happy to see keith harings crack is wack mural being. At the time, the artists assistant benny was also struggling to curb his. This invitation to the party at tunnel uses the same image as read more. 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. How louise hunnicutt brought keith harings crack is wack mural. 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. It was inspired by the crack epidemic and its effect on the community.
Around this time, haring often drove by a handball court on east 128th street, which. So, the piece was considered vandalism and the artist was then arrested. Much of his work includes sexual allusions that turned into social activism. Early on an overcast fall morning, the artist returned to the park with cans. Haring created the eyecatching mural independently, without the permission of the city. Keith haring moved to new york city as a young man to turn his artistic talents toward colorful graffiti art. Early on an overcast fall morning, the artist returned to the park with cans of latex house paint and a blaring box. The crack is wack mural is a testament to the enduring power of harings art, which arose first in public spaces, jonathan kuhn, the. Benny was one of the major catalysts for crack is wack. Among the most difficult to find of keith haring record illustrations. Haring, a ubiquitous graffiti artist and social activist, painted the bright.
Banksy is another graffiti artist from england who produces his work anonymously, he. Keith harings crack is wack from illegal to protected. The now famous crack is wack mural of 1986 has become a landmark along new yorks fdr drive. It is a monochromatic piece in orange with harings signature black lines outlining the lettering and characters. And the genres ability to walk that line is exactly whats made it so compelling since it exploded in the 70s and 80s. The crack is wack mural was originally painted by keith haring in 1986.
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. Crack is wack is a public mural painted on a handball court in harlem, new york city that can be seen from fdr drive. 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. Keith haring keith haring crack is wack record art 1987. We are very aware that there are so many great graffiti artist around the wold. Graffiti are writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched or painted illicitly on a wall or other surface, often within public view. Here are the 10 most famous murals created by graffiti artists including crack is wack by keith haring. 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. The crack is wack playground is a real thing dangerous. Keith haring was born on may 4, 1958 in reading, pennsylvania, and was raised in nearby kutztown, pennsylvania. See more ideas about keith haring, haring art and keith haring art.
However, in this article we only look at murals created by graffiti artists. Haring painted the mural, on opposite sides of a handball court wall, as the crackcocaine. It might also be the most famous mural in new york city. Have you seen all 5 of keith harings murals in nyc. Haring made this piece in response to the citywide crackcocaine epidemic of the late 80s. The most influential public art in new york city history. Graffiti and street art have been synonymous with new york city since the 70s, as the movement grew. Not only was haring was able to reach a large and diverse audience with his subway. We are grateful to the conservators and the keith haring foundation for its continuing support to. Murals have been created by many artists including the renowned mexican painter diego rivera. The story behind the keith harings crack is wack mural. Its a piece of art that has defined the generation of the 1980s and. Worlds top 20 most famous graffiti artists graffiti.
Shortly after its painting, lesser known graffiti artistsor perhaps lowlevel dealerschanged the wording to crack is it. 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. Save here, were revisiting a haring piece with his bestknown graffiti art. From keith harings crack is wack piece to banksys mural on the bowery wallexplore new yorks most historic and famous street art hot spots. Restoration completed on keith harings mural crack is. As a symbol of antidrug activism, crack is wack commemorates. 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. Like many other street artists of the time, haring chose a spot that had. However, we believe these are the worlds top most famous graffiti artists.
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. Harings crack is wack mural is being restored the new. Crack is wack influential artist keith haring was responsible for creating a slew of great works in the 1980s. This time new york city parks commissioner henry stern stepped in and personally invited haring to repaint the mural. Famed graffiti artist keith haring 19581990 painted this fanciful mural, located at east 128th street and the harlem river drive, in 1986. Five of the greatest american graffiti artists bespoke post. Best graffiti in nyc to see from street art murals to.
Keith harings iconic east harlem mural, crack is wack, is back. 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. Graffiti art of the city, from the bronx to brooklyn the. Lets see which are the 5 murals with the most famous graffiti by haring. The crack is wack mural in new york city is more than just one of the most recognized works by the legendary keith haring. Keith harings iconic east harlem mural, crack is wack.
But in recent weeks, artist louise hunnicutt, with support of the keith. Bipo was a singer and a haring assistant at the pop shop in new york city. The best graffiti art around the world eisner museum. Crack is wack, picture from the series skateboards by keith haring, lumas artist. 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. 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. Harings famous mural on the wall of a handball court in harlem, ny. Crack is a highly potent, addictive, and dangerous form of smokable cocaine whose use reached epidemic proportions in the mid to late 1980s.
Keith haring, 1986 located at east 128th street in new york, new york. This is one example of the many public paintings and murals haring produced all over the world from 198289, but it is. Harings mural cautions youth against the drugs use. Crack is wack was created in 1986 by keith haring in street art style. Where to find new yorks best street art, murals and graffiti. Benny was harings young, gifted studio assistant in the mid1980s who became addicted to crack. The two murals on either side of the wall not only still stand, the parks department has officially named the park the crack is. A highly soughtafter 1980s record album featuring original artwork by keith haring. Whether theyve reached the top as a result of their artistic ability, sheer quantity or a knack for selfpromotion. Then some lesserknown graffiti artists entered the seldomused park and changed the wording to crack is it. Discover the story behind street artist keith harings iconic crack is wack mural in new york city. A brief history of new york city street art grandlife.
He achieved this by using sexual images to advocate for safe sex and aids awareness harings work grew to popularity from. 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. Crack is wack playground news iconic crack is wack. 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. He moved to new york city in 1978 and began using the city as his canvas, making chalk drawings in. For over 30 years this wall at a harlem schoolyard have been a gallery of local street artists.
A guide to 10 nyc murals you should check out right now. Graffiti has long straddled the line between vandalism and art. The mural was never commissioned nor did the city grant haring permission to paint it, but haring executed the piece. Worlds best painters for top creative practitioners, see. One of harings most famous works is a public mural painted on a handball court on 128th street and 2nd avenue. He was arrested for graffiti painting on public property and the mural was. Painted in 1986, crack is wack was a direct response to the crack epidemic that swept new york city in the 1980s. Arguably harings most legendary workand new yorks most iconic muralis the doublesided crack is wack painting. A restored version of keith harings 1986 mural crack is wack photo. Keith haring crack is wack, 1986, handball court at 128th street and.
Artist keith haring was born on may 4, 1958, in reading, pennsylvania. Keith harings crack is wack mural in new york city gets a second. 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. 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. 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. Graffiti artists like banksy, shepard fairey, zephyr, blade, david choe, saber. Every year a theme and artists are chosen to decorate this part of park avenue, manhattan new york. 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. 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. 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.
Located at east 128th street and 2nd avenue in east harlem, new. Best street art locations in new york city hypebeast. Crack is wack is arguably keith harings bestknown work. Keith haring was born on may 4, 1958 in reading, pennsylvania, and grew up in the neighboring town of kutztown. 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.