Keith Haring's art and life was greatly influenced by fellow artists he met living in NYC. These include artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Basquiat and Haring were DJs, friends, and artists in
the same crew. In an interview, Haring states that "Jean was one of my main inspirations for doing graffiti." They also collaborated on many work of art together.
Artistic Influences
Along with being influenced by other contemporary artists, Haring's work was influenced by movements and events that occurred during his life. For example, Haring was deeply influenced by the Jesus Movement, which was a Christian evangelical
movement that occurred during his youth. This movement emphasized anti-materialism and compassion for the poor, both theme that can be seen in Haring's work. He was also greatly influenced by his proximity to the nuclear meltdown at
Three Mile Island, which infused his work with hi anxieties about nuclear meltdowns and the end of the world.