Student-curated exhibition featuring more than 100 works explores Haring’s lasting impact on art, design, and activism.
by Amanda Godines ’28, Business of Art and Design, Vice President of GENESIS, and PINC 26 Project Manager
Keith Haring’s vibrant figures and bold symbols didn’t just capture an era, they redefined where art could live and who it could speak to. Beginning January 11, 2027, Ringling College of Art and Design invites everyone to experience that lasting legacy through Keith Haring: Lines in Motion, a major exhibition curated entirely by Ringling students.
On view through April 2027 in the Lois and David Stulberg Gallery and the Selby Foundations Gallery, the exhibition will feature a curated selection of over 100 works from a private collection, presented as a Single Source Traveling Exhibition provided by PAN Art Connections, showcasing a dynamic, contemporary look at Haring’s profound influence across modern art, commercial design, and social action.
The Keith Haring: Lines in Motion exhibition is curated by students in the Business of Art and Design program’s Exhibition Design and Management course, taught by Director and Chief Curator Tim Jaeger. Through the course, students engage in the full exhibition-development process: from research and conceptual development to curatorial decision-making, interpretation, exhibition design, and public programming; students step into professional roles to bring a major exhibition to life.
The project gives students the opportunity to navigate the ideas, challenges, and practical considerations of developing a major exhibition while examining an artist whose career offers a compelling model for interdisciplinary creative practice.
Best known for his bold, energetic drawings and instantly recognizable visual language, Haring broke down the boundaries between fine art, popular culture, graphic design, and public art. His subway drawings brought art directly into the streets of New York, while his paintings, murals, posters, objects, fashion collaborations, and Pop Shop made his work accessible to audiences far beyond the traditional museum and gallery.
But Haring’s legacy extends well beyond his distinctive imagery.
Throughout his career, he used art as a vehicle for communication and activism, addressing issues including AIDS awareness, racism, LGBTQ+ rights, nuclear disarmament, and social inequality. His practice demonstrated that visual culture could be both accessible and socially engaged.
“Keith Haring understood that art could communicate with virtually anyone. He refused to accept the traditional boundaries between art and everyday life,” said Jaeger. “Having our students take on the responsibility of researching, interpreting, and presenting his work allows them to experience firsthand what it means to transform scholarship and creative ideas into an exhibition for a public audience.”
For the students involved, the exhibition represents more than an academic exercise. It is an opportunity to approach Haring’s work as emerging artists, designers, and cultural practitioners. It moves them to consider how his ideas about accessibility, public engagement, and activism might inform their own practices.
A Unique Traveling Exhibition
The exhibition is presented as a Single Source Traveling Exhibition from PAN Art Connections, drawn from a private collection of Keith Haring works. Its presentation at Ringling College gives Sarasota audiences the opportunity to see an extensive selection of Haring’s work in an exhibition researched, interpreted, and developed by the College’s students.
Artwalks and Public Programming
Throughout the exhibition’s run, Ringling College will present Artwalks, gallery talks, lectures, educational programs, and additional public events exploring Haring’s artistic practice, design legacy, activism, and influence on contemporary artists and designers.
Additional programming is currently in development, with dates and details to be announced.
Exhibition Details
Keith Haring: Lines in Motion
January 19–April 17, 2027
Free and open to the public
Lois and David Stulberg Gallery
Selby Foundations Gallery
Ringling College of Art and Design
2700 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, Florida 34234
Press Contact:
Tim Jaeger
Director and Chief Curator
Ringling College of Art and Design
tjaeger@ringling.edu
941-359-7562
Keith Haring: Lines in Motion is part of Ringling College of Art and Design’s 2026–2027 Galleries and Exhibitions season.
Single Source Traveling Exhibition provided by PAN Art Connections. Images above ©1982 Allan Tannenbaum / sohoblues.com
