Photo: Elisabeth Bernstein
Best known for his vibrant pop-inspired street art of the 1980s, Keith Haring was a pioneer in bringing “high” art into public spaces. He transformed the way contemporary art could exist beyond museums and galleries. From his iconic subway chalk drawings to the opening of his Pop Shop in SoHo in 1986, which sold affordable merchandise featuring his designs, Haring’s legacy stretches far, and he remains one of the most iconic modern artists. Now, Haring’s work has found a new home in a stunning, multi-floor exhibition titled Keith Haring: A World in Motion.
A central focus of the exhibition is Haring’s work as a global exchange. From the New York–Tokyo Sister Cities project (1985) to the Paris Métro artwork at Alma–Marceau station (1984) and the five-panel DV8 mural in San Francisco (1986), each work embodies a cross-cultural exchange while remaining distinctly recognizable as Haring’s style.
“Keith Haring’s work is rooted in New York, but it belongs to the world,” says Lio Malca, organizer of the exhibition and owner of 60 White. Malca is known for championing artists associated with New York’s downtown art scene of the 1980s, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, and George Condo. “This exhibition highlights his ability to connect people through a shared visual language that remains as immediate and powerful today as it was in the 1980s.”
Keith Haring: A World in Motion centers around a recreation of the historic San Francisco nightclub DV8, which Haring transformed with murals in 1985. The vivid colors, glow-in-the-dark paintings, and immersive installation create a transformative atmosphere, transporting visitors back to the nightclub’s heyday. The exhibit also features Haring’s 1985 acrylic painting Sister Cities – For Tokyo, a vibrant depiction of Haring’s iconic dancing figures that celebrates the cross-cultural bond between the artist’s two favorite cities. Haring’s commitment to accessibility and collective experience is highlighted throughout the exhibit, continuing the artist’s lifelong mission of bringing art into shared social spaces, from the New York City subway to galleries around the world.
American cultural critic and curator Carlo McCormick emphasizes the centrality of movement in Haring’s life and work: “Haring did not simply travel the world, he entered into dialogue with it. His work pulses with the energy of New York street culture while reflecting the histories, images, and rhythms of the places he encountered. The result is a global conversation, joyful, immediate, and profoundly connected.”
The space at 60 White has its own storied history, making it a fitting home for Haring’s work. Built in 1869, the building was reimagined by New York-based design firm studioMDA and has become an important addition to Malca’s network of exhibition spaces. In 2024, it hosted an exhibition of American painter Kenny Scharf, a friend and contemporary of Haring whose work emerged from the same downtown New York art scene.
More than three decades after his death, Haring’s bold imagery continues to resonate across generations and cultures. Keith Haring: A World in Motion offers visitors the chance to experience that enduring legacy firsthand, revealing how his vibrant visual language continues to inspire dialogue, connection, and creativity around the world.
Keith Haring: A World in Motion is currently on view until September 8, 2026 at 60 White in New York.
A stunning, multi-floor exhibition, titled Keith Haring: A World in Motion, brings together works inspired by Keith Haring’s global artistic practice.
Photo: Mindaugas Matulis
Photo: Elisabeth Bernstein
Photo: Elisabeth Bernstein
A central focus of the exhibition is Haring’s work as a global exchange, highlighting the artist’s international legacy.
Photo: Elisabeth Bernstein
“Sister Cities” 1985 © Keith Haring Foundation. Licensed by Artestar, New York 93 x 117 inches / 237 x 298 cm
The exhibit centers around a recreation of the historic San Francisco nightclub DV8, which Haring transformed with murals in 1985. The vivid colors, glow-in-the-dark paintings, and immersive installation create a transformative atmosphere, transporting visitors back to the nightclub’s heyday.
Photo: Mindaugas Matulis
Photo: Mindaugas Matulis
Photo: Mindaugas Matulis
Keith Haring: A World in Motion offers visitors the chance to experience that enduring legacy firsthand, revealing how his vibrant visual language continues to inspire dialogue, connection, and creativity around the world.
Photo: Elisabeth Bernstein
Photo: Elisabeth Bernstein
Exhibition Information:
Keith Haring
Keith Haring–A World in Motion
May 14–September 8, 2026
60 White
60 White Street, New York City, NY 10013
60 White: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by 60 White.
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