BRATTLEBORO — A Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) exhibition of drawings by famed pop artist Keith Haring, originally scheduled to close on April 16, has been extended to June 11.
The works in the exhibition were previously slated to ship directly from Brattleboro to Barcelona for an exhibition opening this spring at the Moco Museum. With that exhibition now scheduled to open in November, BMAC visitors have two more months to enjoy Haring's iconic art.
“Keith Haring: Subway Drawings” includes a selection of the historic drawings that Haring made illegally in New York City subway stations in the early 1980s. These groundbreaking works, which embody the street art, hip-hop, and urban energy of their time, catapulted the previously unknown artist to fame. Following on previous projects Haring had carried out in public spaces, the subway drawings brought the artist's work directly to the public, bypassing the rarefied world of art galleries and museums.
Haring recognized the significance of the subway drawings in his artistic development and career: “The subway drawings were, as much as they were drawings, performances. It was where I learned how to draw in public. You draw in front of people. For me it was a whole sort of philosophical and sociological experiment. When I drew, I drew in the daytime, which meant there were always people watching.”
On Friday, April 14, at 8 p.m., BMAC will celebrate the exhibition with a “Radiant Baby Dance Party” for ages 21 and up. DJ Matt Krefting will serve up 1980s hits, and the Whetstone Beer Co. will provide a cash bar with a selection of beers, cocktails, and mocktails. Creative 80s attire is encouraged. This event is sponsored by Vermont Hempicurean, Vermont Bud Barn, and Vermont Grow Barn. Tickets can be purchased at brattleboromuseum.org.