Totem, 1989
Three-part woodcut on Inshu-Kozu Japanese paper 70g, each sheet 65 x 89 cm, overall size 191.5 x 89 cm (75½ x 35 in). Edition: 60, signed and numbered on bottom print.
For his Totem series, Keith Haring drew inspiration from indigenous art and ancient civilizations to construct a dynamic composition of his iconic figures and symbols and bold, graphic lines. Created in the 1980s, a period of significant social and political upheaval, all three Totem editions that Haring created for Edition Schellmann embody his deep engagement with contemporary culture and his belief in art as a powerful means of communication and social transformation. Each version, however, has its own distinct style: one is a vibrant, colorful object made from wood, one its muted, monochromatic counterpart made from concrete, and this one is a three-part woodcut drawing on paper, where the black print in the center is framed by a bold red print at the top and bottom, respectively.
The Totem works are considered one of Haring’s most significant bodies of work, with this woodcut edition being part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
