USA

This print brings together a set of symbols that are frequently used throughout Haring’s oeuvre. Notably the dotted steps connote the otherness of homosexuality and illness. Moreover, since the brutal murder of John Lennon, shot to death in 1980, Haring became obsessed with creating images of figures with holes in their stomachs as a means to express the emptiness of grief. Haring developed this motif to create images that represent the violence inflicted on the bodies of marginalised people.

USA 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.