Paris Mural 1987

Keith Haring made this mural in Paris, we don't know exactly when. Just imagine him there, in front of this enormous concrete cylinder, thinking about filling it with life. The energy of the mural is contagious, right? Haring's signature black outlines define vibrant, dancing figures and shapes. Look at the way the colors pop – reds, yellows, blues – each form seems to vibrate with its own special kind of energy, and yet also harmonize. You can really imagine him physically reaching with a brush, making those confident strokes. Haring knew how to imbue his paintings with a sense of movement and joy. You can see echoes of other artists here, too, like Miró, who also knew how to distill forms to their essence. And yet Haring created his own unique language, didn't he? Artists are always in conversation, riffing off of one another across time. Haring's work reminds us that painting can be immediate, generous, and full of life.