Fertility 1 is a 1983 screenprint by Keith Haring. Heavily involved in the fight for AIDS education and the elimination of disease’s stigma, Keith Haring created the Fertility suite as an acknowledgment of the immeasurable effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on society and a pillar of hope for a future with a cure. During the 1980s, the epidemic saw a dramatic increase in cases to include Sub-Saharan Africa, where many cases were contracted through childbirth. Fertility 1 incorporates the influence of African art, displaying a community of dancing pregnant women at the height of a joyous time with the image of a glowing child that epitomizes the sun in the sky. The child has spots indicating infection with AIDS, yet at the same time, Haring’s “Radiant Baby” stands for future, promise, and innocence. The inclusion of this signature form in Fertility 1 invites the spirit of action to solving the crisis and drawing attention to disproportionately and habitually overlooked communities.

See also: Fertility 2, Fertility 3, Fertility 4, and Fertility 5.