KEITH HARING, UNTITLED (DOUBLE MAN), SIGNED COLOUR LITHOGRAPH, EDITION OF 85, 1986
Untitled (Double Man) is a lithograph by Keith Haring from 1986 that is representative of his iconic linear style. Featuring a figure conjoined at the head and with two bodies, Haring creates this image through the use of bold, dark outlines and a flat, saturated red backdrop.
This vibrant image is bursting with movement as Haring depicts each body moving in opposite directions but constrained by the shared head in the centre. Each limb of the figure’s body is bent at an almost right angle to create symmetry across the picture plane and at a glance the print’s subject is ambiguous. The kinetic energy of the print is emphasised by Haring’s use of lines that radiate from the figure, and the spotted ground beneath.
In many of Haring’s works, the artist depicted dancing and moving figures to evoke fun, joy and energy as a reflection of his life in New York City and love of Studio 54. Untitled (Double Man) shows action lines emanating from the figure to emphasise this sense of movement and dance, something that Haring became very interested in as a means to communicate elation and togetherness.
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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.
