His work is heavily influenced by the cultures of India and China. Through multiple Artist in Residence programs, he has visited these countries numerous times to continually experience the immense cultural and historical richness they possess. As he puts it, this has been a source of enrichment, which he then utilizes to create new works.
Haring (’52) returned to India in December 2023 for another project, building on the success of his previous endeavor, “The Golden Light,” Amsterdam – Varanasi (presented at WG Kunst 2021, exploring holy Hindu places).
During this project, he sought a connection between “Religion and Light” (hard-cover book in English and Dutch). In Haring’s viewpoint, there is a sense of “magic” when extraordinary natural phenomena serve as a catalyst for people to create new spiritual spaces. Thus, ritual sites are born.
Among indigenous groups in Tamil Nadu, there is a strong sense of connection to nature, giving rise to new expressions of these rituals.
In his latest project, “Light/Shadow, an Inspiration,” this fascination with the magical moment of experience is translated into new drawings, sculptures, wall objects, and photographs. It is a “total experience” and how these works relate to each other in the exhibition.
www.ftn-books.com has several Haring publications available.
Haring’s ability to translate cultural experiences into a visual narrative is remarkable. The exploration of ritual sites as spiritual spaces triggered by light feels so layered, especially when combined with his use of diverse mediums like drawings and photography. I can imagine it must be a deeply immersive exhibition.