KEITH HARING, BEST BUDDIES, SIGNED SCREEN PRINT, EDITION OF 200, 199
Keith Haring’s Best Buddies print from 1990 was originally designed as a logo for the Best Buddies organisation, founded by Antony Shriver, the nephew of President Kenny. The organisation aligned perfectly with Haring’s charitable interests as it worked to enlist university students to help create opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Best Buddies was made into a limited edition print series in order to help raise additional funds for the project, helping to raise over $500,000. The image shows two figures in yellow and orange with their arms around one another, set against a turquoise backdrop and purple landscape.
Speaking of the print, Shriver has commented, “It is hard to imagine any artist who could have captured the spirit and mission of Best Buddies better than the Pop Artist Keith Haring. His artwork is so simple and spot-on in capturing the concepts of friendship, togetherness and one person helping another.”
Rendered in Haring’s trademark figurative style, Best Buddies is a colourful representation of one-to-one affection and acceptance. Rays emanate from the figures’ embrace and rich, block colours are used to create an image bursting with joy. Much like many of Haring’s works, Best Buddies is deliberately uncomplicated in its message and allows the viewers to create their own interpretations of the image.
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ABOUT KEITH HARING
Known for his bold graphic style and playful sense of humour, Keith Haring is one of the most influential and adored artists of the 20th century.
Born in Pennsylvania, in 1958, Haring was a talented draughtsman as a child and developed his cartoonish style at the hands of his father and the work of Walt Disney and Dr Seuss. However it would take some time before he realised he could marry this kind of drawing with being a fine artist. Upon graduating from high school he enrolled in a commercial art school before realising he had little interest in pursuing a career as an illustrator or graphic designer. After dropping out of college he joined the hippie movement and hitchhiked across the country where he made anti-Nixon t-shirts to pay for food and Grateful Dead tickets. Learn more about Keith Haring.
