Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring

(Hardback)

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A stunning life of the iconic American artist, Keith Haring, by the acclaimed biographer Brad Gooch.

In the 1980s, the subways of New York City were covered with art. In the stations, black matte sheets were pasted over outdated ads, and unsigned chalk drawings often popped up on these blank spaces. These temporary chalk drawings numbered in the thousands and became synonymous with a city as diverse as it was at war with itself, ravaged by poverty and oppression but alive with art and creative energy. And every single one of these drawings was done by Keith Haring.

Keith Haring was one of the most emblematic artists of the 1980s, a figure described by his contemporaries as a prophet in his life, his person, and his work. Part of an iconic cultural crowd that included Andy Warhol, Madonna, and Basquiat, Haring broke down the barriers between high art and popular culture, creating work that was accessible for all and using it as a means to provoke and inspire radical social change. Haring died of AIDS in 1990. To this day, his influence on our culture remains incontrovertible, and his glamorous, tragically short life has a unique aura of mystery and power.

Brad Gooch, noted biographer of Flannery OConnor and Frank OHara, was granted access to Harings extensive archive. He has written a biography that will become the authoritative work on the artist. Based on interviews with those who knew Haring best and drawing from the rich archival history, Brad Gooch sets out to capture the magic of Keith Haring: a visionary and timeless icon.

Reviews

Its all here:the grade school Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss; the adolescent acid trips; the fondness for Post-it notes and flying saucers; the long tails of Dubuffet and Burroughs; the encounters with Madonna, Warhol, and one game-changer of a subway Johnny Walker Red poster.Brad Gooch takes us deep into Keith Harings imagination while somehow managing to fix the aura and energy of the 1980s New York art scene to the page.A keen-eyed, beautifully written biography, atmospheric, exuberant, and as radiant as they come. Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize winning author ofThe Revolutionary: Sam Adams "Brad Gooch is the perfect guide to 1980s downtown Manhattan's holy, scuzzy streets. This rigorous, loving exploration of Keith Haring's life and work will be cherished by fans of Haring, art history, and New York City." Ada Calhoun,New York Times-bestselling author ofAlso a Poet A rewarding deep dive . . . . Gooch captures the innovative, whirlwind creative spirit of the artist . . . . Shot through with details that bring to life the tumultuous social ferment of the era, this honors the inimitable spirit of a defining figure in the art world. Publishers Weekly "Keith Harings art is the most identifiable of any since Andy Warhols. Yet Keith Haring the man is known to a very few. Brad Goochs brilliant Haring biography Radiant corrects that imbalance. By the end of his powerful telling of Harings life, the reader understands the searching boy and comes to admire the young man whose workcombining play and politicshad global impact. Its impossible after reading Goochs book to see Harings famous lines and not recognize in them the beautiful yet tragic man who created them." Mary Gabriel, author of Madonna: A Rebel Life Haring is the central figure in Goochs lively portrayal of a roiling art world and of gay culture in the 1980s . . . . A sympathetic and well-researched portrait. Kirkus Reviews Radiantis a miracle of research but reads as quickly as Haring lived his remarkable life. Edmund White, author ofA Boys Own Story Through interviews and research, Gooch captures the enduring allure of Keith Haring, a visionary artist with a profound impact on culture. She Reads

Author Bio

Brad Gooch is the author of the acclaimed biography of Frank O'Hara, City Poet, as well as Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Biography, along with other nonfiction and three novels. The recipient of National Endowment for the Humanities and Guggenheim fellowships, he earned his Ph.D. at Columbia University and is Professor of English at William Paterson University in New Jersey. He lives in New York City.