Rare letter from Keith Haring with an original drawing - Radiant Finger. 1988.

Keith HARING (1958.1990)

Autographed letter signed to Bertrand Aussel, aka Monkeyfinger.

Two quarto pages, written in capital letters, on his letterhead paper

Stamped and canceled autograph envelope.

[New York. July 8, 1988, according to the postmark].

Rare document from the American artist to his fellow street artist Monkeyfinger. On the second page, the letter is enhanced with an original drawing depicting an open hand with a pointing, radiating index finger.

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“Monkey Finger – Sorry I don’t write. I am busy and traveling all the time. How are you? Why do you go to the hospital? Hope your OK I told Kwong Chi you said hello. I haven't been in Paris for a while. Maybe next time, I'll see you. Till then, take care. Keith. »

Translation: "Monkey Finger – Sorry I haven't written. I've been swamped and constantly traveling. How are you? Why are you in the hospital? I hope you're doing well. I told Kwong Chi you said hello. I haven't been to Paris in a while. Maybe we'll see each other next time. Until then, take care. Keith."

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It was in that same year, 1988, a few days after this letter, that Keith Haring learned he had contracted HIV. From then on, he dedicated himself to the fight against the disease, using his art and fame to support the cause. The Keith Haring Foundation was created for this purpose in 1989. The artist died of the disease in February 1990.

A month after this letter, another giant of free figuration, Jean-Michel Basquiat, died of an overdose in New York. Deeply affected by his friend's death, Keith Haring dedicated a painting to him, A Pile of Crowns, for Jean-Michel Basquiat .

The street artist Bertrand Aussel aka Monkeyfinger, was a close friend of Haring and of the famous American photographer Tseng Kwong Chi (mentioned by Haring in the letter) to whom we owe thousands of Haring photographs.