Printed by

Rupert Jasen Smith, New York

Published by

Edition Schellmann, New York

Dimensions

Sheet: 30.5 × 38 cm (12 × 15 in.)

Literature

Klaus Littmann. Keith Haring: Editions on Paper 1982–1990. Stuttgart, 1993, p. 95.

Condition

In very good condition.

Catalogue Note

Pop Shop II (Plate 2) forms part of Keith Haring's celebrated Pop Shop II portfolio, published in 1988 at the height of the artist's career. Combining bold colour, energetic line and instantly recognisable pictographic figures, the series encapsulates Haring's belief that art should be accessible to everyone rather than confined to museums and private collections.

The portfolio takes its name from Haring's pioneering Pop Shop, first opened in New York's SoHo district in 1986. Conceived as an extension of his artistic philosophy, the Pop Shop offered affordable posters, clothing, badges and objects featuring his imagery, allowing a wider audience to engage directly with contemporary art. Haring famously explained that he wanted it to be a place where "not only collectors could come, but also kids from the Bronx." A second Pop Shop opened in Tokyo the following year, each space transformed by Haring into an immersive environment with walls, ceilings and fixtures covered in his signature mural paintings.

The present composition exemplifies Haring's remarkable ability to communicate complex ideas through a deceptively simple visual language. Dancing figures, barking dogs, radiant babies and bold graphic symbols combine in an image that appears playful yet carries deeper themes of community, movement, energy and human connection. Throughout his career, Haring addressed subjects including social justice, sexuality, apartheid, nuclear disarmament and the AIDS crisis, using a universal visual vocabulary that transcended language and cultural boundaries.

Printed by the master printer Rupert Jasen Smith and published by Edition Schellmann, Pop Shop II ranks among Haring's most important graphic editions. Produced on fine BFK Rives paper and signed by the artist, the portfolio demonstrates the exceptional quality of Haring's editioned prints while preserving the immediacy and vitality of his street-inspired imagery.

Today, the Pop Shop series stands as one of the defining expressions of Haring's democratic vision of art—works that successfully bridged the worlds of graffiti, Pop Art and fine art while remaining as visually engaging and culturally relevant as when they were first created.