The Birth of Keith Haring

When I was asked to make an illustration for the 20th anniversary of Keith Haring's death I was excited. I always loved Keith's art since when I was a child and I cannot deny the great influence that him and his work have on my style and view on contemporary art.

But when I saw the selected piece I would pay homage to - the "mother and child" print of 1986 - well I was disappointed and a little upset. That work was so different than my style, my feelings, and it was none of my favourites at all.

But I saw it was a real challenge, and I started working on it.

After lots of attempts, I realized that Haring style can not be homaged - it seems so easy, but every attempt to get near to its pureness is doomed to look ridiculous, pretentious and profane. I was trying to celebrate myself through Haring's style, except of celebrating him with my own technique.

So I stopped to think about the picture and started to think about him, Haring: a person so fragile yet who gave so much to the world - a life spent trying to give art to all the people, and doomed by suffering - a Street Art Messiah's life.

After thinking to all this, I knew what I had to do: to celebrate The birth of Keith Haring.