Keith Haring - Amsterdam Notes

Back after 30 years

The American artist Keith Haring made the 125-foot-drawing that he titled Amsterdam Notes in 1986 for his first solo museum exhibition at the Stedelijk. When compared to Haring’s other work, the drawing is unique on several levels. The black ink drawing with red acrylic paint border is probably one of his largest museum pieces. He trades his iconic symbols of barking dogs, dancing figures and radiant babies for fanciful monsters and colossal animals. Among the fantastical creatures, human figures dance, make love, fly and leap. Yet, in contrast to the American’s trademark style, the composition is spatial, and does not fill the picture plane. The fish that appear in the drawing are probably a playful nod to Haring’s surname – which means ‘herring’ in Dutch. Amsterdam Notes shows us a different side of Haring, and marks his ascent to world fame.