Flowers IV, 1988

Keith Haring’s Flowers IV (1988) is a striking screenprint that exemplifies his ability to merge playful imagery with bold graphic power. Produced in an edition of 100, each print is signed and numbered by the artist, underscoring both its rarity and the personal touch Haring brought to his multiples. Measuring 39 ½ × 51 inches (100.3 × 129.5 cm), the work commands space with its large format, inviting the viewer into a vivid and celebratory world of stylized forms. As with much of Haring’s output in the late 1980s, the piece reflects his interest in universal symbols, repetition, and accessible art that could communicate directly and energetically with a wide audience.

The imagery of Flowers IV takes on special resonance within Haring’s larger body of work, where flowers frequently appear as motifs of joy, growth, and renewal. Rendered with the artist’s characteristic thick black lines and vibrant colors, the flowers radiate energy, as if in constant motion. Unlike traditional still-life depictions, Haring’s floral forms pulse with the same vitality he often gave to human figures and animals, blurring the line between nature and the animated, symbolic universe of his imagination. Created just two years before his passing, the piece can also be read as part of Haring’s legacy of affirming life and beauty even in the face of personal and social struggles, securing his reputation as an artist who combined immediacy, optimism, and social consciousness in unforgettable ways.