Keith Haring rose to prominence in New York's East Village art scene in the 1980s alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf and Jenny Holzer. Before committing to a studio practice, he bridged the gap between the art world and the street, painting graffiti on the city's subways and sidewalks. Combining the appeal of cartoons with the raw energy of raw art artists like Jean DuBuffet, Harlin developed a distinctive pop-graffiti aesthetic consisting of vibrant, boldly outlined figures against solid colors or patterned backgrounds. His major themes included exploitation, subjugation, drug abuse, and the threat of a nuclear holocaust; Harlin boldly engaged with social issues, especially after being diagnosed with AIDS in 1987. Today, his work sells for seven figures at auction and has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Albertina Museum Vienna Museum, among other institutions.