Untitled (Elephant)

The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, the USA.

Papier-mâché, acrylic.

For the style of Keith Haring, it was typical to densely cover the entire surface of the object with figures – the so-called “fear of space”. This technique, noted in archaic primitivism, creates a sense of kaleidoscope and rhythmic pulsation. Creating his works, the artist did not stop until he filled all the space with his unique “scribbles” with clear black lines and outlines. The artist did the same with a white papier-mâché elephant, which he adorned with his famous dancing little men. Unlike other figures, such as people, dolphins and cartoon characters, an elephant appeared only once in Haring’s work. In this work, it symbolizes wildlife, which people neglect, destroying its harmony with their intervention.