Last week in New York, Sotheby’s unearthed the vivacious presentation “Art in Transit: 31 Keith Haring Subway Drawings from the Collection of Larry Warsh,” currently on view through November 20 at the York Avenue galleries. In a dynamic partnership with Samsung, 31 subway drawings by the visionary creative will also be presented in an inaugural auction on November 21. Each compelling treasure, produced between 1980 and 1985, was derived from the personal collection of the revered Haring collector and publisher Larry Warsh.
A profound steward of Haring’s 31 subway masterpieces for nearly 40 years, Warsh was immediately beguiled by the artist’s jubilant gestures and motifs at first sight. The historic suite of artworks has not been exhibited in union since 2012 at the sweeping show “Keith Haring: 1978-1982” within the Brooklyn Museum. This fall, visitors have the rare opportunity to be fully embraced by the meticulous replication of a 1980s New York subway station at Sotheby’s. Here, surrounded by benches and turnstiles, as well as of-the-moment Samsung technology, guests of all ages will be transported back to the magic and mystery of encountering Haring’s fierce and boundless creativity for the very first time. Whitewall had the opportunity to speak with the insightful Warsh about assembling his tremendous collection, and Haring’s passion for a more kind-hearted and free-spirited world.
Tseng Kwong Chi, Keith Haring, drawing in the subway, New York, 1984. Photo © Muna Tseng Dance Projects, Inc. Art © Keith Haring.
Portrait courtesy of Larry Warsh.
WHITEWALL: As a longtime collector of Keith Haring’s work, what first drew you to his subway drawings specifically, and how did you go about assembling such an extensive collection?
LARRY WARSH: I have a vague memory of my first encounter with Haring’s subway drawings: it was the early 1980s, probably in a downtown station at West 4th Street in Greenwich Village or Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. The subways were alive with renegade artists making their mark, and Haring’s iconic images were an immediate delight to behold. It didn’t take long for me to realize how important these subway drawings were in the broader scope of contemporary art. I felt compelled to acquire them and by the early 1990s I began assembling this collection, one by one, and it took many years to bring them together. Haring’s subway works were a form of public art intended for everyone.
WW: How did you approach the process of acquiring these pieces, knowing that they were created to be fleeting and inaccessible?
LW: I’ve had the privilege of stewarding this collection for nearly 40 years, during which we have loaned them to various exhibitions worldwide including the Brooklyn Museum’s presentation of “Keith Haring: 1978-1982” in 2012. These drawings are also included “Keith Haring: 31 Subway Drawings” published in partnership with the Keith Haring Foundation, and that has been a way to make these same artworks accessible to others.
Keith Haring, “Untitled (Still Alive in ’85),” est. $500,000 – 700,000.
Keith Haring’s Commitment to Public Art
WW: The auction includes an immersive exhibition recreating the 1980s subway setting where Haring originally created these drawings. How does this installation enhance the experience of his work, in your opinion?
LW: Yes, the immersive installation helps to set the stage that Haring embraced. Haring once mentioned that he preferred drawing in the subway despite his success in galleries.
WW: How do you interpret his commitment to public art, especially now as these works enter the auction world?
LW: Haring often spoke of “art for everybody” and his commitment is unwavering as reflected by the amusing nature of his symbols: dancing figures, barking dogs, radiant babies, zapping UFO’s. Indeed, these images are accessible to all walks of life. Haring considered these images as “part of the collective consciousness of modern man” and he designed them to “provoke people to think and use their own imagination” as written by him in his essay “The Subway Is Still My Favorite Place to Draw” (1984). Haring created thousands of subway drawings over a five-year period, yet most of those works did not survive. This auction is a rare opportunity for these drawings to be acquired by the next steward of Haring’s work, who I hope will be equally agreeable to loaning them out for public exhibitions. It would be fantastic to see institutions get in on the bidding and buying—ultimately they can provide a strong next chapter for this significant body of work.
Keith Haring, “Untitled (Mermaid – Angel, Dolphins, Angels, Barking Dogs),” est. $500,000 – 700,000.
Art Which Transcends Cultural Boundaries and Belongs to the World
WW: You’ve been the steward of these works for many years. Could you share any memorable moments or challenges you encountered while preserving these delicate pieces?
LW: The memorable moments have been seeing this work in different cultural contexts throughout the world, and a highlight among those was their appearance in an outstanding Haring and Basquiat exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne in 2019. It is one thing to encounter these drawings in New York where they were made, and it is another to see them admired by art lovers on the other side of the planet, truly a great honor for me.
“It is one thing to encounter these drawings in New York where they were made, and it is another to see them admired by art lovers on the other side of the planet, truly a great honor for me,”
Larry Warsh
WW: This auction includes works with iconic motifs like the radiant baby and barking dog. Do you have a favorite among these drawings or one with a particularly meaningful story behind it?
LW: All thirty-one drawings in this collection are favorites of mine. They have been a part of my life for so many years, and they have brought cheer to so many. Ultimately these visions by Haring belongs to the world at large in the spirit of his art for everybody. It is my sincere wish that his subway drawings continue to inspire others for generations to come.
Keith Haring, “Untitled (Boombox Head),” est. $400,000 – 600,000.
Creativity Emboldened by Social and Political Issues
WW: Haring’s works often address social and political issues. Do you see these subway drawings as part of his activism? If so, how do they reflect his views during the time he created them?
LW: Yes, Haring’s art is emboldened by his attention to social and political ideas, and he used his art to expand upon the difficult dialogues that persist today. In the universe that he conjured in the subway drawings, the symbolic sense of egalitarianism extends to all ages and without bias. As stated by Haring himself: “The only way art lives is through the experience of the observer. The reality of art begins in the eyes of the beholder and gains power through imagination, invention, and confrontation.”
“The only way art lives is through the experience of the observer. The reality of art begins in the eyes of the beholder and gains power through imagination, invention, and confrontation,”
Keith Haring
WW: How do you see Keith Haring’s legacy evolving with each new generation of viewers?
LW: Haring’s legacy is both enduring and evolving: he remains a hero of his generation while simultaneously supporting a contemporary conversation about gay rights, free expression, and all the major themes that continue to play out for the various communities in our global society. His creative contribution to a kind-hearted and free-spirited culture is unshakable. Haring once said that his commitment to drawing in the subway was “worthy of risk and the direct relationship between artist and audience.” I truly feel that with these subway drawings, that direct relationship endures.
