Untitled (Free South Africa #2), 1985
Lithograph in black and red on BFK Rives paper
32 × 40 in. (81 × 101.5 cm)
Edition of 60
Signed and dated “K. Haring ’85” in pencil
Numbered in pencil
Printer’s blindstamp lower left
Published by Edition Schellmann, Munich and New York
From an edition of 60, plus 15 artist’s proofs
Literature:
Klaus Littmann, Keith Haring: Editions on Paper 1982–1990, pp. 42–43
About the Work
Created in 1985, Keith Haring’s Free South Africa series ranks among the artist’s most powerful and overtly political bodies of work.
Haring developed the imagery in response to apartheid in South Africa, translating the profound imbalance of political power into his unmistakable visual language. In Untitled (Free South Africa #2), an enormous black figure is restrained by a dramatically smaller figure identified by a vivid red mark. A taut rope, radiating lines and exaggerated movement transform the composition into an immediate image of struggle, oppression and resistance.
The work exemplifies Haring’s extraordinary ability to communicate complex social ideas through deceptively simple forms. His characteristic bold black line dominates the composition, while the limited use of red—around the perimeter and across the smaller figure—creates an exceptionally strong graphic impact.
The Free South Africa project occupies an important place within Haring’s socially engaged practice. Throughout his career, the artist used his imagery to address issues including racism, apartheid, AIDS, nuclear proliferation and inequality, believing deeply in art’s ability to communicate beyond the traditional confines of museums and galleries.
This example, number 38 from the edition of only 60, is signed and dated by Haring in pencil and bears the printer’s blindstamp. Published by the highly regarded Edition Schellmann, the lithograph measures an impressive 40 inches (101.5 cm) across, giving the work considerable presence when installed.
A particularly compelling example from one of Haring’s most historically significant print projects, combining the artist’s iconic visual vocabulary with an important message of social resistance.
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