Crack is Wack Public Art in the US

Crack is Wack Public Art in the US

A successful work of public art

On the parkway going uptown Manhattan there is a handball court mural that can be seen from Harlem River Drive that says “Crack is Wack.” Crack is Wack was graffitied by an famous artist name Keith Haring. He painted this mural on the north side of the handball court located on East 128th Street and Harlem River Drive in 1986. The wall background is painted bright orange and composed with Haring’s signature styles of abstract with a hint of cartoon-like figures in bold outlines. Crack is an addictive form of smokable cocaine. “Crack arrived in New York City in the early 1980s… crack began its spread across New York. It was cheaper than cocaine. Anybody could afford it , and anybody could sell it.”[1] As an anti-drug message to the community Haring decided to paint this mural to caution the young adults and youth against the addictive drug.

Before Haring came to New York, he grew up in Kutztown, Pennsylvania being the oldest out of four siblings. Young Haring enrolled in the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh where the “elements that would become central to Keith’s style were beginning to emerge; he began working with a vocabulary of small, interconnected abstract shapes.”[2] It wasn’t until 1978 Keith arrived to New York City with a scholarship to School of Visual Arts. There he was inspired by the graffiti he saw on the subways of New York. “Haring found a thriving alternative art community that was developing outside the gallery and museum system, in the downtown streets, the subways and spaces in clubs and former dance halls.”[3] During this time of Haring’s career, he has come to be known as an graffiti artist painting on subway walls and staircases with his signature abstract figures.

However with Crack is Wack mural, the famed artist didn’t just make an anti-drug message randomly to caution the young community. Haring had an unfortunate emotional back story that brought him this site-specific handball court to paint Crack is Wack. “Back in 1984, I hired a young studio assistant [named Benny]. He was a Puerto Rican kid—very intelligent, top star of his school, and ready to go to medical school. He did volunteer work for a Catholic community center and he was just an all-around good and wonderful person.”[4] Later on in their friendship, Benny became addicted to crack. Haring helped with friend but failed many attempts to curb Benny’s addition. It was hard for Haring to take care of Benny since he did not have insurance therefore Haring couldn’t bring him to the hospital get assistance. ”Haring, who often drove by an abandoned handball court in a park near Harlem River Drive, decided to use the court’s wall to display his frustrations with an ineffective government on tackling drug-related issues.”[5]

Thus, Crack is Wack mural was born. Crack is Wack has become one of Haring’s more notable work of art. It is viewed more than any mural in New York City due it being visibility to passing cars on the Harlem River Drive. The idea of using the handball court next to the parkway was like having a billboard for Haring’s message. Like many graffiti artist, Haring’s art work was not commissioned by anyone; especially not by the parks department. In fact, this most notable work of art, was very illegal. “Haring painted Crack is Wack without asking for permission. One morning, during the summer of 1986, he drove a rented van — loaded with some ladders.”[6] While Haring was painting away, both drivers and passersby enjoyed watching him paint and honked their horns for appreciation.

On the wall Haring uses some iconography so explain his message about crack. In the left side of the wall he uses his signature style of cartoon-like bold outline figures creating a skull that is holding a burning dollar bill on his right hand that has no value with the inscription that says “$0” on it. On the left hand of the skull is holding a crack pipe. “[The] crack pipe, from which the mentioned slogan appears from a puff of smoke or in a cartoon speech bubble…[on] the burning dollar sign [represents] the expression ‘to have money to burn’.”[7]  “To have money to burn” expression means to have a lot of money that one can spend freely. Around the skull figure are the iconic human figures Haring is known for around. The human figures creates a movement for they are perceived to look like they are jumping, dancing, and creating this mosh pit feeling since crack is club drug. It took Haring only one whole day to finish the entire mural until at the end a “cop asked if Haring had permission to create the mural, and obviously he didn’t. Haring was then arrested and handed a court date. He faced a fine and potentially jail time.”[8]

Within days, the mural was recognized by news medias to use as Ronald Reagan’s “war on Drugs” announcement backgrounds less of covering Haring arrest. In actuality, Haring wasn’t known enough to be recognized until New York Post contacted Haring for a picture of him in front of his art piece. The Post is what saved Haring from serving jail time. Due to the article, “People immediately came to Haring’s defense. The topic even made the evening news, which prompted Mayor Edward Koch — who was both anti-crack and anti-graffiti — to have to consider the issue. Koch commented that ‘we have to find somewhere else for Haring to paint.’”[9] From there he was only fined $100 and received an apology letter from the Parks Department head. It wasn’t until after “some lesser-known graffiti artists entered the seldom-used park and changed the wording to ‘Crack is It.’ This time New York City Parks Commissioner Henry Stern stepped in and personally invited Haring to repaint the mural.”[10] At the end, Haring’s Crack is Wack mural started as an illegal mural that was accepted by the government that eventually commissioned by the Parks Department not under the city’s property but the Parks Department property.

Generally in public art history, street art is considered illegal while public art is commissioned by the government, a non-profit, or a private corporation that is site specific. Although, Haring’s Crack is Wack mural is street art that is illegal. In retrospect, it fits into the history of public art for it was created specifically for that handball court site for everyone to see from the Harlem River Drive. “In the realm of public space, street and public art are often indistinguishable…Graffiti's aerosol imagery is gaining popularity and is becoming increasing socially acceptable.” [11] This being the case, Haring’s mural did not fit in the public art history at first but then became socially accepted into the public art history as of how the Parks Department eventually commissioned Haring’s mural.

Haring’s Crack is Wack mural is similar to all of Banksy artworks. Banksy is an mysterious British street artist that has graffitied and vandalized many abandoned places around the world. He has created murals that are not commissioned by any government, a non-profit, or private corporation. Yet, his vandalism turns into public art work defended by the community in wherever Banksy places it. “[The] public allows street artists to present socially relevant content while at the same time beautifying the bleak sprawl of urban decay. Still, many critics argue that street art is an act of vandalism …. street art is often an aesthetic enhancement and adds to a neighborhood’s local flavor.”[12] His artwork addresses various cultural and social issues such as commercialism in society, government surveillance of citizens, and violence in society. He graffities in such a way in order to make a statement and for society to make a response to it just like Haring’s Crack is Wack.

For example, Keep Your Coins, I want Change art piece is used to make people think. It is an image of a homeless man with a sign that reads, “Keep Your Coins, I want Change.” Especially with this piece using not only text but play on words in his message. With homelessness becoming more of a problem as time goes on with jobs opportunities diminishing and housing foreclosing by the minute. Banksy is sending message to show that there are people who are homeless do not want money that only lasts for short amount of time but want change the world to be better. He uses that play on words of change to show that true change that is needed. Again similar to Haring’s Crack is Wack, Banksy is bringing awareness by using text and imagery.

All in all, I think this is a successful work of public art. According to Issue 45 of Public Art Review, “the success of a work of public art relies heavily upon the design of the public space in which it is located… Public art projects that engage the community in aspects of the art-making process can provide communities with the means to improve their environment and the opportunity to develop a sense of pride and ownership.”[13] With that being said, Crack is Wack is a successful work of public art because the mural does heavily relies upon the public space it is located which is East Harlem. Again, Haring crated Crack is Wack specifically for that handball court site for everyone to see from the Harlem River Drive to give awareness to the young community about the crack epidemic issue.

Furthermore, Crack is Wack has become East Harlem’s neighborhood icon. The people of East Harlem community and the rest of New York has developed a “sense of pride and ownership” with the Crack is Wack mural. Similar to how La Grande Vitesse public sculpture by Alexander Calder was embraced by the people; making the sculpture the icon of Grand Rapids Michigan. The park in where Crack is Wack is located once called Harlem River Park earned its distinctive name after Haring’s mural. It has become a touring site for graffiti and art enthusiasts visiting East Harlem providing community “to improve their environment.” In addition, Reebok sneakers made a tribute to Keith Haring by making a “Crack is Wack collection [that] features all sorts of imagery borrowed from the Haring mural of the same name that was original painted.”[14] Along the same lines, the people of New York and Mayor himself, Edward Koch, immediately came to Haring’s defense of keeping the mural! Reasonings from these facts, I truly believe Crack is Wack is a successful work of public art.

   

[1] "Cheaper, More Addictive, and Highly Profitable: How Crack Took Over NYC in the '80s," Village Voice, Accessed November 05, 2018, https://www.villagevoice.com/2014/08/12/cheaper-more-addictive-and-highly-profitable-how-crack-took-over-nyc-in-the-80s/.

[2] “Beginnings: Keith Harings,” The Keith Haring Foundation, Accessed November 13, 2018, http://www.haring.com/!/about-haring/beginnings#.W-sptpNKjfZ.

[3] “Bio: Keith Haring,” The Keith Haring Foundation, Accessed November 13, 2018, https://web.archive.org/web/20130909234427/http://www.haring.com/%21/about-haring/bio.

[4] John Gruen, Keith Haring: The Authorized Biography, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992), 15.

[5] Gabrielle Kwarteng, "Photo Of The Day: The Story Behind Keith Haring's Original 'Crack Is Wack' Mural," All That's Interesting, September 07, 2016, Accessed October 29, 2018, https://allthatsinteresting.com/crack-is-wack-mural.

[6] Matthew Israel, "Keith Haring's 'Crack Is Wack': NYC's Most Famous Mural?," The Huffington Post, December 07, 2017, Accessed October 29, 2018, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-israel/keith-haring-crack-is-wack-mural_b_5651871.html.

[7] Ulrich  Blanché, "Keith Haring - a Street Artist?" Center, Periphery: Practice2, no. 1, 1-13, Accessed December 1, 2018, http://www.urbancreativity.org/uploads/1/0/7/2/10727553/u.blanche_sauc_vol2_n1.pdf.

[8] Ibid

[9] Ibid

[10] "Studying Mural: ‘Crack Is Wack,’" The Keith Haring Foundation, Accessed November 06, 2018, http://www.haring.com/!/learn/studying-mural-crack-is-wack.

[11] Jareen Imam, "From Graffiti to Galleries: Street vs. Public Art," CNN, August 05, 2012, Accessed November 07, 2018. http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/03/living/ireport-street-art-public-art/index.html.

[12] "Street Art or Vandalism?" Art Law Journal, Accessed December 01, 2018, https://alj.artrepreneur.com/street-art-or-vandalism/.

[13] Fred Kent and Cynthia Nikitin, “Collaborative, Creative Placemaking: Good Public Art Depends on Good Public Spaces,” Public Art Review, no.45 (2012).

[14] Sneakernews, "Keith Haring X Reebok Classic "Crack Is Wack" Collection," Sneaker News, September 04, 2014, Accessed December 3, 2018, https://sneakernews.com/2014/09/04/keith-haring-x-reebok-classic-crack-wack-collection/.