Ludo 4 is a 1985 lithograph on paper by Keith Haring. Haring’s unique style closed caverns between graffiti technique and luxury demand, activism and art, and a childlike flair with heavy, thematic material. The subject matter of his oeuvre spans from media and politics, to Apartheid, to the HIV/AIDS crisis that irrevocably disrupted so many lives and fundamentally altered the collective memory of society. In his Ludo series, Haring drops his more characteristically upbeat style and takes on a jarring quality using a warped visual narrative.
Ludo 4 is suggestive of the AIDS crisis, incorporating spots that alter the complexion of the main character and reminiscent of lesions characteristic of the illness. The figure looks as if it is melting, its body leaning into spikes that line the right side of the composition border. Living in New York during the epidemic as an openly gay man made the fight against AIDS very personal to Haring, resulting in his references to sexuality in his art to raise awareness of these issues. In the work in question, bits resembling sexual organs extend from the central figure’s face and appear to emit a liquid, while the teeth in the distorted mouth suggest themes of hunger, defense, and aggression. These details take on added significance when viewed in the context of the HIV/AIDS crisis, a subject that Haring was deeply invested in and sought to bring attention to through his art.
