Untitled, from Free South Africa 1985

Keith Haring's 'Untitled, from Free South Africa’ is stark and declarative, like a punch to the gut rendered in red, white, and black. Haring was working in ink, likely directly onto the paper, trying to get the image out, like a sign. I see the struggle in the image. The image's power lies in its simplicity: a large, faceless figure trampling a smaller one. He’s saying something important. I imagine Haring felt an urgency to address injustice, to stand in solidarity, to scream. Haring wants to cut through the noise and speak directly to the heart of the matter. The red outline makes me think of blood, violence, and the borderlines of political action. It's a bold statement. This piece, like much of his work, speaks to a desire for social change, and that's part of the dialogue between artists across generations.