Drawing on Walls

Drawing on Walls Synopsis

"e;Burgess describes Haring discovering Robert Henri's The Art Spirit in college (';He felt as if the book was speaking directly to him'), encountering the large paintings of Pierre Alechinsky (he was ';blown away'), and recognizing a common impulse in dancers at the West Village's Paradise Garage (';For Keith, drawing and painting were like dancing. He called it ';mind-to-hand flow''). Cochran uses a thick black line to suggest Haring's creations, and renders figures in a Haring-esque style without seeming gimmicky. Of interest to young readers are Haring's frequent efforts to involve children in mural-making projects. The story, including a respectful acknowledgement of Haring's death from AIDS, makes the subject seem immediate and realand presents a compelling vision of answering the call to create."e; Starred Review, Publishers WeeklyI would love to be a teacher because I love children and I think that not enough people respect children or understand how important they are. I have done many projects with children of all ages. Keith HaringTruly devoted to the idea of public art, Haring created murals wherever he went.From Matthew Burgess, the much-acclaimed author of Enormous Smallness, comes Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring. Often seen drawing in white chalk on the matte black paper of unused advertising space in the subway, Haring's iconic pop art and graffiti-like style transformed the New York City underground in the 1980s. A member of the LGBTQ community, Haring died tragically at the age of thirty-one from AIDS-related complications. Illustrated in paint by Josh Cochran, himself a specialist in bright, dense, conceptual drawings, this honest, celebratory book honors Haring's life and art, along with his very special connection with kids.