It has been 23 years since artist Keith Haring illegally painted this iconic "Crack Is Wack" mural in Harlem River Park along the FDR Drive. Haring died of AIDS in 1990, but much of his public art lives on. In fact, the NYC Parks Department allowed the mural to be restored and repaired in 2007, and renamed the area the Crack Is Wack Playground. See my previous Keith Haring post HERE.
Source: Ephemeral New York / New York Times
5 comments:
My US History teacher (Mr. Haring) was Keith Haring's cousin. He remains one of my favorite artists of all time.
Other than the fact that the park is now called "Crack is Wack", I like the idea that graffiti art is being appreciated as something other than a public nuisance.
Great minds think alike. I did a post about Keith Haring on his birthday- May 4th... in it, I lamented the loss of my Keith Haring Swatch.
Great post as always, David.
Actually, it was the artist's estate that paid for the 2007 restoration of the mural (as well as all of its previous restorations and the restoration of Haring's other remaining NYC outdoor mural at the Carmine Street swimming pool, at Carmine and Varick).
Both murals were created with the eventual support of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, but the city neither maintains nor restores them.
Awesome quotes of Keith Haring . Thanks for sharing this with us.
Post a Comment