Sotheby’s to Auction 31 of Keith Haring’s ‘Subway Drawings’

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As a gamer who has spent countless hours navigating the virtual streets and subways of games like Grand Theft Auto or Subway Surfers, I can only imagine the thrill it must have been for Larry Warsh to witness the real-life transformation of New York’s actual subways by the legendary Keith Haring. These vibrant, instantly recognizable drawings, a testament to the power of art in the most unexpected places, have captivated me since my first encounter with them in the pixelated world of video games.

Sotheby’s is set to auction off Larry Warsh’s prestigious art collection, which includes a series of Subway Drawings by renowned Pop artist Keith Haring. These works are part of the Contemporary Art Day Auction in New York and collectively titled “Art in Transit: 31 Keith Haring Subway Drawings from the Collection of Larry Warsh.” This collection encompasses art pieces created by the American artist between 1980-85, marking their first time at auction. The total estimated value of these pieces ranges from $6.3 to 9 million USD.

Accessibility was a hallmark to Haring’s practice, favoring the surfaces found in the city streets, as opposed to the confines of a canvas. In the 1980s, the American artist quickly transformed New York’s subways, adding his vibrant lexicon over advertisements as a way to enliven commuters daily journeys. “I remember noticing a panel in the Times Square station and immediately going aboveground and buying chalk,” Haring recalled. “After the first drawing things just fell into place. I began drawing on the subways as a hobby on my way to work. I had to ride the subways often and would do a drawing while waiting for a train.”

Straddling the lines between comics, graffiti and fine art, Haring was amongst the street artists that challenged the “seriousness” of accepted art norms within painting and sculpture, in favor of a universally understandable visual style of radiant babies, dancing figures and flying saucers. “Keith Haring’s subway drawings are his ultimate, years-long love letters to New York City,” said Ashkan Baghestani, Head of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Day Auction in New York. “Drawing dozens of works almost daily, Haring’s legacy unfolded in front of millions, as he transformed the everyday experience into the extraordinary through his lexicon of instantly identifiable imagery. They sometimes stemmed from world events and other times from new technologies or were about life, love, and death.”

Back then, I was thrilled to have admired the stunning collection of Subway Drawings by Keith Haring, which were last exhibited together during the Keith Haring: 1978-1982 exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. Now, I’m eagerly anticipating the upcoming display of Art in Transit: 31 Keith Haring Subway Drawings from the Collection of Larry Warsh at Sotheby’s New York before its sale on November 21st.

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2024-10-30 23:55