만화적 속성을 통해 본 키스 해링(Keith Haring)의 작품

Abstract

This study focuses the meanings of comics expressions revealed in Keith Haring (1951-1990)’s work in the context of American society and culture in the 1980s. The examples of arts in which refer to comics in the art history could be find in Pop art of the 1960s. However, I suppose Haring’s reference to comics is in a different context comparing with Pop art’s. This thesis tries to expose how Haring’s graffiti technique approached to the public deviating from the mainstream art in the 1980s, and how his commercial success and entrance to an institutional system relate to an art activity in the capitalistic structure. Haring’s graffiti work not only denied vestiges of elite modernistic art remained in artists’ works of New expressionistic arts and media, but also was an axis of the 70s young culture remaining with the characteristic of alternative and counter-culture. This try is revealed by his referring to the exclusive forms of comics in his art. He was in intimate terms with a few graffiti artists of non-institutional education, and had exhibitions with forms of performance in clubs. Also, he moved toward the public directly in the streets out of museums. I could understand Haring’s intention with social messages by transforming the meaning of establishing comics’ characters in his characters, and his plan of public recognition via commercialization of his art as well. A Frame line, a line of movements and simplified outline which were applied to his most of works are the way not only to show effectively narratives of arts, but also to deliver his message rapidly and intensively. Besides, this kind of comics technique could appeal to the public more easily as a form of a public mural as well. On the other hand, his work, a part of a minor culture in the 1980s, got popularity and had success commercially during his life. For these reasons, he faced to the criticism of the loss in values as a pure art and the forfeiture of the ability to confront and censure. Haring’s art’s popularity and commercial success leaning on the establishing institutional system was a sort of a realistic means to display his voice as a minor distant from the majority in the society. That is, he had an intention to present resistant mind of social minorities, and consistently tried to break through realistic conditions for actualization of his purpose. Also, he emphasized differences of comics and his art borrowed from comics. Because he thought his art has aura of pure art, and does not belong to popular culture. Therefore, he used to protest consciously that his art is not commercial. The comics characteristics of Haring’s work have interdependence as well as mutual opposition. His art is in the border of high art and popular culture, and the boundary of mainstream culture and marginal culture in the system of capitalism. He reminds that the art history locates in the constant parallel line of high culture and popular culture. His working process can be seen the sign of post modernism which reflects the social context of American circumstances in the 1980s. I could find the importance of this study in that this thesis is trying to clarify that art displays its conditions drawing from the characteristic of the capitalistic system by analyzing comics forms and meanings in Keith Haring’s art.