Ludo 2 is a 1985 lithograph on paper by Keith Haring. The print belongs to the “Ludo” series of 5 artworks that show strange-gestural lines and figures in a red, black, and white color palette. With red dominating the subjects of the series, Ludo carries a frenzied, chaotic feeling while also resembling “primitive” art that Haring often cited as inspiration.
Devoted to activism surrounding AIDS, Apartheid, government corruption, and media, to name just a few social issues, Haring used his art as a means to communicate important messages through a symbolic code. These symbols tend to invoke Egyptian hieroglyphics, Aztec art, and cave paintings. Bold and reminiscent of the graffiti style that Haring loved to leave in the subway, the Ludo portfolio swims in more ambiguity than some of the artist’s other works.
Ludo 2 depicts a wide-eyed gaze that could make any onlooker feel as if they’re being watched. The lone head lays on its side, with energy markings above a nook in the noggin. Although the face itself is cheerful, its apparent unawareness of its state fills Ludo 2 with an unresolved air. What’s more is the trunk-like appendage on the face, and its transparent complexion that reveals a maze of red lines. A compelling separation from some of Haring’s more stickfigure-esque outlines, the power of Ludo 2 lies in the detail of the eyes that dare the audience to stare back. After all, eyes are the windows to the soul.
