Keith Haring

"Silence=Death" is a silkscreen print created by Keith Haring in 1989, serving as a powerful commentary on the lack of awareness and action surrounding the AIDS epidemic, as underscored by its provocative title. At this late stage in his career—Haring had been diagnosed with the virus just a year prior—the piece stands as a culmination of his commitment to art as a form of social activism. The striking contrast of fuchsia against a black background intensifies the seriousness of the subject matter. The pink triangle, central to the image, reclaims a symbol once used by the Nazis to label homosexuals in concentration camps, transforming it into an emblem of pride and resistance.
Silence = Death highlights Haring’s unique visual style that would see the artist become a mainstay of private collectors, auction houses, galleries and museums worldwide.