O
ne of the most iconic and universally recognized artists of the contemporary age, Keith Haring developed his unique style of graphic expression from a synthesis of many artistic influences, but none were as deeply instrumental in shaping his aesthetic and conceptual praxis as the Pop Art of Andy Warhol. Dollar Sign, formerly in Haring’s personal collection speaks directly to that influence. Haring’s art is rooted in the experiences, imagery, and aspirations of pop culture; his primacy of line, bold colors, and use of signs and symbols was born of his desire to communicate to the masses through an artistic language that collapses the boundaries between popular and “highbrow” forms of expression. These were themes that had also driven the work of an earlier generation of Pop artists, particularly Warhol, who elevated commercial objects and famous faces into fine art while emphasizing their banality and mass-produced nature. This work, once in Haring’s own collection, epitomize the makers’ aims and serve as tangible reminders of the abiding influence the Pop artists had on Haring’s fundamental devotion to fusing life and art.
