By Duncan Wilson
Today's Google Doodle is a tribute to Keith Haring.
Artist and social activist Keith Haring was born in reading, Pennsylvania on 4th May, 1958. He is known for his notable style of pop-art, a career that began with bold chalkline drawings in the New York Subways in the early 1980s.
Exhibiting work at numerous displays around New York, Haring soon became known on the world stage. Exhibitions throughout the 80s took place in Germany, Brazil, Australia, France, Netherlands and Italy.
Friends with Andy Warhol, it was this friendship that would eventually cement Haring high up in the pop art history books.
Haring's symbol was "The Radiant Baby", without doubt a famous piece of imagery. "The Radiant Baby" was also the name chosen to title the musical created about his life's work.
In 1986, he opened 'Pop Shop', a store which sold reproductions of his work on items like t-shirts, toys and posters. Some critics complained of Harings attempts to "commercialise" his art. Haring countered this by saying "I could earn more money if I just painted a few things and jacked up the price," saying that he was merely bridging the gap between high and low art.
The arrival of 'Pop Shop' coincided with his work starting to take on more socio-political themes. The anti-apartheid movement, AIDS awareness and crack-cocaine epidemic all influenced and were reflected in his some of his later works.
On 16th February 1990, Keith Haring died from complications relating to AIDS. His friend Madonna dedicated her first New York date of her Blond Ambition World Tour to his memory and donated all the proceeds to AIDS charities.
Next time your eye catches a greetings card with that world famous "Radiant Baby" symbol on it, you'll know a little more about the man behind it.