Counter Culture to Culture: Keith Haring

-Assignment Intro-

This assignment instructs us to make two fashion illustration based on in-class discussion in each team about how the artist’s life and his or her friend sees him or her as a person. Mine artist is Keith Haring, a homosexual artist, a cartoonist, a graffiti artist, and an anarchist.

-First Concept- 

This one I was inspired by the challenging fate that has dawned to Keith in his 31 years long life. He is an artist, but he always got arrested for what he did in the subway station; he is a talented, trendy pop art leader, while AIDs-related complication took his life when he was as young as 31. This seems to be a juxtaposition set up by the god, therefore, I chose black and red, the two colors mostly appear in his art pieces, to be the main tone of the garment. The tightness of the garment also reflects his suffocating but artistic life under the pressure of police and disease. Besides, I added the opening at every end of the garment: collar, cuff, legs opening, to show that his life is not just miserable, but also gorgeous and has repercussion in the history. For texture, I drew Keith Haring’s symbolic figures at the front, while his biography (written by me) at the back to both exhibit his work and introduce his life. Last but not least, I also added some accessories: condom as a hat, to show his inclusiveness of sex and his later claim of safe sex due to his own AIDS-related complication.

-Second Concept-

For the second one, I focus more on his homosexuality and his effort to make the world a better place. I intentionally drew 7 his symbolic hearts in the colors of the rainbow to show his advocation for equality of the homosexual since the flag of homosexuality is in rainbow color. Besides, I put his symbolic work on each heart to introduce him as a fighter for equality. Besides, as soon as he, unfortunately, had AIDS in 1988, he founded Keith Haring foundation with all his money, he did make the world a better place using all the money he gained to introduce the disease that killed him and call people for taking precaution. He is not only an artist but a tenacious fighter, a caring figure that would call for people’s notice even using his case of the disease that killed him ultimately. Therefore, I drew the main body into baby blue to show his nobility and generosity. However, he was also shackled by the disease, due to which he can no longer create any new work. The illness limited him, just like the chain between each heart, he is brilliant and caring, but the fate is like the chain, shackled him and finally suffocated him.

-Collage of the four-