KEITH HARING, LUDO 4, LUDO SERIES, SIGNED LITHOGRAPH, EDITION OF 90, 1985
Taken from Keith Haring’s Ludo series from 1985, Ludo 4 is a lithograph print showing an abstract monstrous figure rendered in bold, black lines and a frenzy of red dots and squiggly designs. The figure is shown with two eyes, phallic arms, a snout and teeth, with liquid exploding upwards from its mouth.
Reminiscent of Haring’s Apocalypse series from 1988, this series provides the viewer with a hellish visual narrative showing eyes, limbs and other body parts in abstracted forms. Depicted in bold lines, gestural marks and bright red colour, Ludo 4 is a dynamic image that evokes a sense of chaos and violence. Indeed, the Ludo series marks a moment of transition for Haring. As the AIDS epidemic overtook his community in the mid-1980s, Haring’s artwork reflected his increasing involvement in advocacy for the disease.
Ludo 4 is indicative of the way in which Haring conveys complex ideas whilst maintaining a simplicity in line and form that appeals to a wide audience. In his use of simplified form and recognisable symbols throughout his work, Haring produces a true public art that communicates clear-cut narrative views on socio-political injustices of the time. Just as his good friend Jean-Michel Basquiat had done before him, Haring used his unique graffiti style to erode boundaries between the public and the world of high art.
Read more about Ludo by Keith Haring.
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.
