Untitled (Pair of Vases) by Keith Haring

Untitled (Pair of Vases)

Keith Haring · 1981

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“Stop to explore these two large vases, transformed by Keith Haring's iconic black lines into a bustling world of radiant babies, barking dogs, and dancing figures, bringing street art energy into the museum.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

These two fiberglass vases, nearly life-sized, are covered in a vibrant, spontaneous network of black lines and figures. They burst with the energy of a crowded cityscape, each vase acting as a canvas for a continuous, flowing narrative. You can spot the familiar "radiant baby" (a crawling infant emitting rays of light) and barking dogs, alongside dancing figures and flying saucers, all rendered in a distinctive, cartoon-like style. The ink marker on fiberglass gives the surfaces a raw, immediate feel, as if the artist had just finished drawing. Created in 1981, this pair exemplifies the artist's early practice of bringing the dynamic visual language of the street and subway into new contexts, transforming everyday objects into lively, story-filled sculptures.

DETAILS
Artist
Keith Haring
Date
1981
Medium
Ink marker on fiberglass
Location
Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions
Each: 99.1 × 63.5 × 63.5 cm (39 × 25 × 25 in.)
Collection
Contemporary Art
Culture
United States
Credit line
Gift of Lannan Foundation
ART MOVEMENTS
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What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Untitled (Pair of Vases)
01

Look for the "radiant baby" symbol, a crawling infant with emanating lines.

02

Spot the barking dogs and dancing figures that populate the surfaces.

03

Notice the continuous, unbroken lines that define each character and form.

04

Observe how the black ink contrasts sharply with the white fiberglass.

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THE ARTIST

Keith Haring

1958–1989 · United States

Keith 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.

Read Haring’s full story
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