BRATTLEBORO — Four events taking place between March 16 and April 14 offer audiences of all ages opportunities to learn more about the life and legacy of celebrated pop artist Keith Haring. The events are presented in connection with the exhibition “Keith Haring: Subway Drawings,” on view at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center through April 16.
On March 16 at 7 p.m., art historian Amy Raffel, author of "Art and Merchandise in Keith Haring’s Pop Shop," gives an online talk titled “Subway as Studio” that charts Haring’s artistic development amidst the early 80s downtown New York art scene and the social and political climate of the day. Admission to the talk is free. Registration is optional.
On March 23 at 7 p.m., Angelina Lippert, chief curator of Poster House in New York City and author of "The Art Deco Poster," gives an in-person talk titled “A Brief History of the Poster” at Next Stage Arts (15 Kimball Hill, Putney). The talk will cover the birth of posters in the mid-1800s, major stylistic movements and important moments in printing history. Admission to the talk is free. Registration is optional. Walk-ins are welcome.
On March 30 at 7 p.m., Brattleboro Museum & Art Center Director Danny Lichtenfeld, who curated “Keith Haring: Subway Drawings,” leads an in-person tour of the exhibition. In addition to discussing the subway drawings themselves, Lichtenfeld will shed light on how a group of the drawings came to be exhibited in Brattleboro this spring. The tour will not be livestreamed, but a recording will be made available afterward. Admission to this event is free. Registration is optional. Walk-ins are welcome.
On April 14, at 8 p.m., the museum's Keith Haring exhibition closes out with a Radiant Baby Dance Party, sponsored by Vermont Hempicurean, Vermont Bud Barn, and Vermont Grow Barn. DJ Matt Krefting will serve up 80s dance hits, and Whetstone Beer Co. will provide a cash bar. Creative 80s attire is encouraged. Tickets are $25 ($20 for BMAC members) in advance at brattleboromuseum.org, $30 at the door.
“We’re excited to offer this range of opportunities for people to learn more about one of the most admired artists of the past half century,” said Lichtenfeld. “And we know Keith would have loved the dance party.”
Founded in 1972, the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center presents rotating exhibits of contemporary art, complemented by lectures, artist talks, film screenings, and other public programs. BMAC is open Wednesday–Sunday, 10–4. Admission is free. Located in historic Union Station in downtown Brattleboro, at the intersection of Main Street and Routes 119 and 142, the museum is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 802-257-0124 or visit brattleboromuseum.org.
BMAC is supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Brattleboro Savings & Loan, C&S Wholesale Grocers, the Four Columns Inn, Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, and Whetstone Beer Co.
