“Step into a vibrant, early work by Keith Haring where ancient Egyptian symbols collide with energetic, modern forms, hinting at the iconic visual language he would soon unleash upon the world.”
This early work by Keith Haring, from 1978, shows a vibrant, almost hieroglyphic scene, rendered in watercolor and gouache. The composition is packed with overlapping figures and symbols, creating a sense of constant motion. You can see a blend of ancient Egyptian motifs, like pyramids and stylized eyes, alongside more contemporary, almost cartoonish forms. The palette is bright and energetic, with bold blues, reds, and yellows dominating the white paper. This piece reveals Haring's nascent interest in universal symbols and a visual language that transcends traditional narratives, a precursor to the iconic style he would develop later in his career. The frenetic energy and symbolic density here suggest an artist already exploring how simple forms can convey complex ideas about human experience and culture.
- Artist
- Keith Haring
- Date
- 1978
- Medium
- Watercolor with gouache on white wove paper
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 40.9 × 30.9 cm (16 1/8 × 12 3/16 in.)
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Look for the two prominent pyramids, one red and one blue, near the center.
Find the large, stylized eye at the top left, reminiscent of ancient Egyptian art.
Notice the repeating, almost stick-figure human forms throughout the composition.
Observe the sun-like disc with radiating lines, a common Haring motif.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Keith Haring
1958–1989 · United StatesKeith Haring transformed New York City subway chalk drawings into a globally recognized visual language, addressing urgent social issues with his iconic Radiant Baby and dancing figures.
Further Works by Haring
More from Postmodernism
More works to explore
Beyond Haring and Postmodernism: works from the same years, and from the other movements Egypt Day and Night #109 belongs to.
Same movement · Contemporary Art
Sun Spot
Yayoi Kusama · 1953 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Four Mona Lisas
Andy Warhol · 1978 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
La grande bellezza
Pierre Alechinsky · 1965
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Essai
Sam Francis · 1963 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Alka Seltzer
Roy Lichtenstein · 1966 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.)
Félix González-Torres · 1991
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Corpse and Mirror II
Jasper Johns · 1974 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Untitled (Brown and Gray)
Mark Rothko · 1969 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Olive Picking
Reuven Rubin · 1967 · Rubin Museum
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Wu Street
Xu Bing · 1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
A Face from Georgia
Ivan Albright · 1970 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Krach
Philip West · 1987 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Sky above Clouds IV
Georgia O'Keeffe · 1965 · Art Institute of Chicago





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