Mana Contemporary presents Keith Haring, and unprecedented exhibition of oversized objects

JERSEY CITY, NJ.- At a time when street art was in its infancy, Keith Haring made the gritty surfaces of 1980s New York his canvas, and an icon was born.

Mana Contemporary presents Keith Haring, from December 2, 2012 -February 15, 2013. The exhibition showcases an unprecedented ensemble of works from a private collection, including oversized metal panels originally spray-painted on the FDR Drive in 1984. Measuring more than 17 feet in width, these out of scale diptychs have not been shown in the United States for more than 15 years. Also included in the exhibition of the beloved downtown artist are a rare painting on leather, a selection of his famous subway drawings and several other pieces rarely seen. The exhibition is organized by 99 Cents Fine Art, New York.

The exhibition takes place in a 5,000-square-foot gallery on Mana Contemporary’s first floor. The gallery is especially designed to showcase large works of art.

“This exceptional exhibition highlights Mana Contemporary’s ability to show oversize installations,” says Mana Contemporary founder Eugene Lemay. “We are thrilled that the public can see these timeless works by Keith Haring as they originally appeared.”

Keith Haring, Untitled, 1983. Acrylic on leather. 53 x 116 in.

In 1984, Haring created an undulating mural of his active figures on a metal fence in the Asphalt Green Park along the FDR Drive in New York. The FDR work is made of about 30 panels in total, originally forming a unique continuous frieze of 255 feet in length.

Haring moved to New York from Pittsburgh in 1978, and by the end of 1980, he had developed his own visual vocabulary of iconic ideograms. By leaving his chalk drawings on blank subway posters and graffiti on the streets of Manhattan’s East Village, he bridged underground activism with the high-brow art world. Haring died from AIDS-related complications in 1990 at the age of 31.