EXCURSIONS IN BARCELONA

Keith Haring painted this message not here. Elsewhere. In the heart of the Raval. In the sewer of Barcelona. In the square where the National Cinematheque now stands. In 1989, Keith spent several hours on this piece. And the drawing caused a scandal. The local "population" did not like this piece of art. The prostitutes who gathered in Plaza Salvador Seguí and their pimps were enraged by this graffiti – it jeopardized their business. They tried to paint over Haring's drawing, and the artist himself received death threats. The police were forced to post a guard for the message.

However, in 1992, a decision was made to build a Cinematheque on the site of this wall with Keith Haring's drawing. The wall was demolished. The artist's message perished.

It was only in 2014 that Keith Haring's drawing was reproduced on a wall at the Museum of Modern Art.

The red paint used in the drawing symbolizes blood. A long snake is depicted. Its tail, protected by a condom, embraces the lovers and clutches a syringe in its coil. The snake threatens the people, who flee. But large scissors cut the snake in two. Then three figures cover their eyes, ears, and mouth, respectively, facing the threat of another snake, a symbol of human folly. In the face of obvious dangers. Finally, on the right, we see an inscription—a call to action—and below, a group of people rejoice at the outcome: "Together we can stop AIDS." C. Haring '89.

Keith Haring died of AIDS in February 1990, a few months after this wall was built in Barcelona.