A year before his untimely death, Keith Haring was creating some of his most iconic works,including the Growing series. This set of five screen prints, each signed and dated by Haring, bears the blind stamps of the publisher (Martin Lawrence Galleries) and the printer (Rupert Jasen Smith). Released in a limited edition of just 100, the Growing series highlights the importance of the artist's hand, central to Haring’s creative process. The series reflects Haring’s enduring optimism, emphasizing themes of unity and togetherness in a world often divided. It suggests his hope for a future marked by socio-political harmony.
Often referred to as "a child of Pop art," Haring quickly rose to prominence in the 1980s, becoming a key figure in the genre. His bold line work and vibrant colors captured the energy of commercial culture, while his unique style challenged societal norms. Haring’s art oscillated between addressing tragedies like the AIDS crisis and apartheid in South Africa, and celebrating the sheer joy of life. The Growing series, created in 1988, exemplifies the latter. With its five brightly colored screen prints, bursting with movement and energy, the series is quintessentially Haring.
The Growing series embodies the idea of Haring’s prints as an extension of his physical presence. The dynamic, interconnected figures and the medium of screen printing both convey this concept. The subject matter in Growing is reminiscent of Haring’s Pop Shop I and Pop Shop II series from the same era, all of which feature his iconic human figures in various stages of motion and connection. True to its title, Growing captures forms in transition, emphasizing growth and interdependence. Circles, often representing heads or bodies, suggest seeds and sources of life. In Growing 1, a single figure branches outwards like a tree reaching toward the sun. This motif of support and unity reappears in the "people ladder," where smaller figures are elevated by larger ones, reflecting Haring's hopeful vision, similar to the mural he painted on the Berlin Wall two years earlier. In Growing 2, the central figure acts as a tree trunk, with other figures flourishing from it, symbolizing the power of unity.
Haring’s signature use of dots, dashes, and bold colors brings the figures in the Growing series to life with a sense of joyful abandon. Many of the figures appear to dance exuberantly atop one another, their collective energy propelling them upward - a visual metaphor for Haring’s hope for an undivided future. His interest in Australian Aboriginal art is evident here, particularly in his use of flat colors and symmetrical compositions. By drawing on Aboriginal art, Haring reinforces the central message of community and togetherness in the series.
Haring’s ability to adapt his intimate medium of drawing for mass reproduction was a key aspect of his artistic genius and legacy. As Werner Jehle noted in Keith Haring: Editions on Paper 1982-1990, Haring’s work was marked by its rapid dissemination, reproduction, and wide-reaching application. While this ubiquity might exclude Haring from traditional art historical classifications, it’s precisely his embrace of inclusivity and pluralism that gives his work its enduring power. Jeffrey Deitch observed that Haring was a pivotal figure connecting different cultural movements, from hip hop in the Bronx to gay dance clubs, conceptual art on the Lower East Side, and street art. Haring’s art, lifestyle, and social circle were a fusion of these diverse influences. The Growing series serves as a microcosm of his career and life, delivering a vibrant and universally accessible message of human interconnectedness.
