Bit of Ugly, Bit of Pretty, Bit of Touching

Beware the Ides of March. Born on this day was a person most responsible for the early childhood trauma in my life, and responsible for unspeakable pain to my parents and aunt and uncle, truly ruining all of our lives. I hate this day more than any other day of the year.

Wallowing done for this year, let's celebrate the day honoring a truly innocent artist taken from us far too early, Keith Haring, 1958-1990. Just a year younger than I am, it was always great fun to find "new" Harings in the East Village in the 1980s, painted on walls and sidewalks and lamp posts, really every surface imaginable. I had no idea he would become not only popular and collectible, but iconic. I can hardly look back to those days without his distinctive figures dancing in my head right alongside my memories of friends and jobs and clubs and days and nights wandering around "Gotham." I never had a chance to meet Keith, or buy him a beer and laugh about our world, but due to the incessant marketing machine of our world, his work stares at me every single day—I have three refrigerator magnets of his work given to me by my late friend Andy. Here's to both of you!

• I found this video through a link at Joe.My.God, the most important political blog there is for LGBT rights, and one that is proudly listed in my blog roll listing. This video was made by a friend of Keith's, Marcito in Omaha. The music is perfect, the artwork is touching, and it's cut together perfectly. I'm sure Keith would smile seeing his work portrayed in this manner. THANK YOU Marcito for allowing me to share your work with my readers.
• Keith's early work, 1978-82 is being showcased at the Brooklyn Museum, beginning tomorrow. Information, here. If anything is going to get me back to the city after an almost ten-year absence, this could be it.