Pop Shop Quad III (Littmann PP. 142) is a screenprint created by Keith Haring in 1987. Part of a limited edition of just 45, this quad-format print stands apart from the larger, individually issued works from the Pop Shop series. The title refers to Haring’s iconic Pop Shop, which he opened in SoHo, New York, in 1986 as a space to make his art accessible to the public. This series reflects Haring’s signature visual language at a pivotal point in his career—arguably its peak.

Across the Pop Shop editions, Haring’s energetic, stylized figures—his signature matchstick-like forms—exist in playful, animated worlds. Whether they dance with dolphins and angels in Pop Shop Quad III (Littmann PP. 142) or join together in celebration in Pop Shop I, they always inhabit dynamic, interactive environments. In Pop Shop Quad III (Littmann PP. 142) the figures are engaged with technology, suggesting themes of communication and disconnection. In the first box, a red figure pulls another out of a radio. The second shows three figures covering their eyes in apparent shock. In the third, human forms morph into scissors, cutting a cord. The final panel depicts a yellow figure seemingly trying to fix a piece of equipment.

Each scene is charged with motion, enhanced by Haring’s distinctive use of vibrating lines and contrasting color blocks. His compositions are alive with kinetic energy, reinforcing his belief that art should engage directly with the viewer.

From the outset of his career, Haring was committed to creating art for everyone. After arriving in New York in 1978 and enrolling at the School of Visual Arts, he became deeply embedded in the East Village’s vibrant cultural scene. He mingled with fellow artists and creatives such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Madonna, and local graffiti writers from the Bronx. Rejecting the exclusivity of the traditional art world, Haring sought more democratic modes of expression.

One day, he noticed empty advertising panels in the subway and saw their potential: “I immediately realised that this was the perfect place to draw.” Armed only with white chalk, he began his now-famous *Subway Drawings*—a grassroots project that laid the foundation for the visual vocabulary seen in mature form in works like Pop Shop Quad III (Littmann PP. 142).