Opera Gallery is delighted to present ‘Keith Haring: Art in Action’, an immersive solo exhibition that celebrates Haring and his legacy, by remembering the spaces and places made special by Haring and his iconic drawings. Undeniably one of the most influential artists of his time, Haring shook up the art world one street drawing at a time and the buzz never really went away.

This is remembrance, an ode to an 80s New York full of possibilities, dreams and unstoppable creativity. Right in the center of this booming street culture was a group of artists who believed in art as a response to life itself, as a means of representing its grandness and intricacies in the frenetic rhythm of the time. Keith Haring was an integral part of this movement by occupying and engaging with underground scenes, creating art for causes that were close to humanity.

The streets and subway stations were Haring’s canvases, as he started devoting himself to lining the walls with his unmissable imageries and universal line-work, alive with playful kinetic energy. The idea was simple - to bring art closer to people, to create a pictorial vocabulary that can be comprehended by all, regardless of age, language and background. Beyond just drawings, Haring’s art symbolised his stance on post-modern currents of the time and opened dialogues on love, sexuality, war, politics, AIDS and drug-awareness - conversations that continued through his prolific art career. The result was like a light in darker times, inspiring a whole generation of people to believe in art, life, and how both intertwined.

Anyone who watched Haring create his compositions would remark that he did them beautifully, spontaneously with a rhythm - with music and 80s hip-hop in particular as soundtrack that inspired the visual exuberance and movements. He embraced chance and speed in art, whether it was in the subway, at the studio or setting up his ‘Pop Shop’ exhibitions. Haring chased his creative impulses, incessantly, brilliantly, with every line that he drew, culminating in his art becoming almost child-like and curious both in style and execution. He painted everywhere, time and time again, representing the spirit of his era with his intensity and originality.

It is with pleasure that we invite you to join us in the gallery as we let Keith Haring’s greatest creations take us back to 80s New York, made remarkable by his exhilarating world of lines, symbols and iconoclastic expression that remain timeless and relevant for generations to come.

I was always totally amazed that the people I would meet while I was doing them were really, really concerned with what they meant. The first thing anyone asked me, no matter how old, no matter who they were, was, ‘What does it mean?’