“Keith Haring's "Egypt Night and Day #222" captures a world in constant motion, where celestial bodies and earthly figures alike pulsate with energy, using a simple yet powerful visual language.”
In this dynamic watercolor, a vibrant yellow sun and a deep blue moon share the sky, each radiating energy lines that suggest constant movement. The ground below is a flurry of activity, with three distinct figures in various stages of motion, their limbs extended and bodies contorted. One figure appears to be in mid-leap, another seems to be dancing or tumbling, and a third is a simple, stick-like form. The stark contrast between the luminous celestial bodies and the animated earthly scene creates a sense of perpetual flux, hinting at the continuous cycle of day and night. The work's title, "Egypt Night and Day #222," suggests a connection to ancient Egyptian art, where symbols and hieroglyphs conveyed complex ideas through simplified forms. The use of watercolor, with touches of crayon, gives the piece a spontaneous, almost raw quality, capturing a moment of energetic expression.
- Artist
- Keith Haring
- Date
- 1981
- Medium
- Watercolor, with touches of blue and orange crayon, over graphite, on white wove paper
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 49 × 33.5 cm (19 5/16 × 13 1/4 in.)
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The radiant yellow sun and blue moon, both active in the sky.
The three figures on the ground, each in a unique pose of motion.
The blue and orange crayon accents that add depth to the watercolor.
The energetic lines emanating from the sun and moon, suggesting movement.
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 Night and Day #222 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
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
Wu Street
Xu Bing · 1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Olive Picking
Reuven Rubin · 1967 · Rubin Museum
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Krach
Philip West · 1987 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
A Face from Georgia
Ivan Albright · 1970 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
It's a New Age
William Hook · 1992 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Red Plank
John McCracken · 1969 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Mt. Negoi in Transylvania Alps Near Faragas Romania Eur Asia
Mogens Balle · 1967 · Art Institute of Chicago





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