Keith Haring (1958-1990) Untitled (Fertility + Spaceship), circa 1982 Chalk on black paper 45 x 30-1/2 inches (114.3 x 77.5 cm) (sheet) PROVENANCE: 42nd Street Subway, New York; Private collection, New York, obtained from the above in December 1982. EXHIBITED: Alden Projects at NADA, Miami , Florida "Off The Wall" December 5-8, 2013; Alden Projects booth at Metro Show, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, January 23-26, 2014; NADA Art Fair, New York, March 02, 2017; Alden Projects booth at NADA Art Fair, Miami, Florida, December 06, 2018; Alden Projects exhibition at Alden Projects gallery, curated by Todd Alden, New York "Club 57: Lost Flyers 1979 – 1983," December 16, 2017 – February 11, 2018. Executed in white chalk on black paper, Untitled (Fertility + Spaceship) is a dynamic and symbolically rich example of Keith Haring's early practice, rooted in the subways and streets of New York City. Created circa 1982, the work reflects the urgency, immediacy, and raw energy that defined both Haring's aesthetic and the broader cultural moment in which he worked. This composition centers on a radiating figure—arms raised in a pose of exaltation or surrender—marked with a prominent ankh, the ancient Egyptian symbol of life and fertility. Above, a flying saucer emits beams of energy, lifting a second, smaller figure into the air. The pairing of fertility and alien abduction conjures themes of creation, transformation, and cosmic intervention, while evoking Haring's fascination with both ancient symbology and contemporary mythology. Rendered in his unmistakable line, the figures pulse with movement, surrounded by vibrating energy lines that speak to Haring's unique visual lexicon—simple yet charged, accessible yet profound. Haring developed this visual language in the early 1980s, a time when New York City was both a canvas and a crucible. Amid the grit of downtown Manhattan and the growing influence of hip-hop, punk, and graffiti cultures, Haring used chalk to transform empty subway ad panels into ephemeral stages for his artistic intervention. These works were public, unsanctioned, and deliberately fleeting—intended to engage passersby, spark dialogue, and disrupt the monotony of daily commutes. Haring's iconography—radiant babies, barking dogs, flying saucers, and sacred symbols—spoke directly to a generation experiencing political conservatism, economic inequality, and the early ravages of the AIDS crisis. In Untitled (Fertility + Spaceship), we see that vocabulary in full effect, applied with both urgency and intentionality. Works like this not only exemplify Haring's commitment to accessibility and universal communication but also serve as time capsules of one of the most creative and tumultuous periods in New York's cultural history. Bold, enigmatic, and immediate, Untitled (Fertility + Spaceship) is a powerful reminder of Haring's ability to merge personal symbolism with public commentary in a form that remains as vital today as when it was created. HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice