Beauty And Artualism In Keith Haring's Rebel With Many Causes

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Many people have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Though progress has been made, HIV/AIDS is still kept under scrutiny and oppressed by the majority. Through the hardships faced also comes beauty and intellectualism. We see this through many artists, one being Keith Haring.

Haring was born on May 4th, 1958 in Pennsylvania. Throughout his youth and adolescence, he held a deep love for art. Drawing in particular. After moving to New York City in 1978, Haring developed a true appreciation and passion for the expressive art pieces residing around the city and in subway stations. He was hooked and began creating exhibitions of his own to present to the world. His work, comprised mostly of social and cultural messages, was known on an international level …show more content…

To quote The Art Story (2018): “Rebel with Many Causes is an example of Haring's recurring theme of 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' - a criticism of those who would avoid social issues, especially the AIDS crisis”. Using direct observation from the views and opinions of his society at that time birthed the inspiration behind this piece. As Haring himself was suffering from AIDS, his special and first-hand outlook provided concrete insight into what it meant to be living with AIDS. In a time where the debate of HIV/AIDS was kept under wraps, the legitimization of the need for governmental support was being overlooked. The idea to incorporate the ancient proverbial principle “Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” insisted on universal understanding of the message. Haring as well as many others were being let down because those who made the decisions for them did not have the basic understanding of the virus to know the extent of its dangers. If they did not accept that there was a problem, there would be no need for a problem to be dealt …show more content…

Haring, though his life had been cut much too short, played his part in reminding the world that a sense of humanity and compassion should not be placed on populations solely based on privilege. Everyone deserves the right to medical aid and social acceptance. Haring’s determination to spread his message could very well have been a vital factor in changing the minds of those in the positions of power. By the early 1990s, medication was made more available in treating those affected by the virus. In the early 2000s, the FDA approved the first rapid HIV test. And now, living with AIDS has become a very real possibility rather than what it used to be considered as a death sentence. The number of AIDS-related deaths has decreased significantly as have the number of newly reported cases of HIV/AIDS. (History of HIV and AIDS overview, 2017) At this time, the world hopes for an eventual elimination of the virus. This is something that can safely be said to have been affected by the incredible works of Keith Haring as his story is one that will forever be

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