Fertility 5 is a 1983 screenprint on paper by Keith Haring. The Fertility portfolio immerses us in the lives of pregnant individuals during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. In Fertility 5, radiant neon hues and whimsical forms belie the dark undertones of the subject matter. The symbolic spots that pepper the composition hint at the ravages of illness, spreading across the ground beneath the feet of five heavily pregnant bodies. Some figures seem to dance, while others appear to bend under the weight of the central, dominating figure – also riddled with spots.

The ambiguous nature of the composition is palpable, urging us to contemplate the struggle of these expectant individuals in the face of disease and hardship. It speaks to the antithetical wonder and excitement of childbirth amidst the heartwrenching challenge of living in an epidemic with the risk of passing the illness to a newborn. Haring’s body of work purposefully navigated difficult, taboo subject matter as a form of social activism, but perhaps what made the reach of his works so remarkable was his ability to inspire hope while exploring weighty issues. The focal point of the composition, though overwhelming by design, actually unites the figures underneath to carry the burden together. Gestural lines seem to make the figure, posed in a flexed position, glow as it is supported. In its center, is the ankh, the Egyptian “key to eternal life” and a sign of fertility that acknowledges the beauty of new beginnings and infuses Fertility 5 with promise for a better future.

See also: Fertility 1, Fertility 2, Fertility 3, and Fertility 4.