Keith Haring, Free South Africa 3, 1985 serves as the culminating work of the Free South Africa Suite, bringing Haring’s urgent political commentary to a powerful conclusion. In this third lithograph, the imagery again presents a smaller white figure in control of a much larger black figure, a potent visual metaphor for the systemic oppression enforced under apartheid. Radiating lines and graphic vibrations extend from the figures, conveying tension, struggle, and a palpable energy that reflects both the weight of injustice and the resilience of those resisting it.

Keith Haring, Free South Africa Suite, 1985 Series

In 1985, amidst the global outcry against apartheid, Keith Haring created the Free South Africa Suite—a powerful and poignant lithograph series that stands as one of his most politically charged works. Comprising three prints, this suite directly confronts the systemic oppression in South Africa, using Haring’s signature visual language to deliver a message of resistance, urgency, and hope.

Each lithograph in the suite features a stark, black-and-white composition where a diminutive white figure holds a rope or leash attached to the neck of a much larger black figure. The disparity in size symbolizes the demographic imbalance between the white minority and the black majority, highlighting the absurdity and cruelty of the apartheid regime. Radiating lines emanate from the figures, conveying tension, struggle, and the explosive energy of resistance.

The suite was not merely an artistic endeavor but a call to action. Haring distributed approximately 20,000 posters of the third print in New York City in 1986, aiming to mobilize support and raise awareness about the atrocities of apartheid

Through the Free South Africa Suite, Haring transcends the role of the artist as a passive observer, positioning himself as an active participant in the global struggle for justice. The series is a testament to his belief in the transformative power of art and its ability to challenge oppressive systems. It remains a compelling reminder of the importance of standing against injustice and advocating for freedom and equality.

The works in the Suite are:

Keith Haring Free South Africa 1

Keith Haring Free South Africa 2

Keith Haring Free South Africa 3

Created in 1985, Keith Haring Free South Africa (Plate 3) from the Free South Africa Portfolio is a Lithograph in color on BFK Rives paper that is hand-signed by Keith Haring (Reading, 1958 – New York, 1990) in pencil in the lower right-side margin and numbered from the edition of 60 in pencil in the center right image.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Keith Haring Free South Africa (Plate 3) from the Free South Africa Portfolio, 1986 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Littmann, Klaus. Keith Haring: Editions on Paper 1982-1990 (The Complete Printed Works). Germany: Hatje Cantz Publishers, 1993. Listed and illustrated on pgs. 42 and 43.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:

Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Keith Haring Free South Africa (Plate 3) from the Free South Africa Portfolio, 1986 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.