Untitled 2 is a 1982 lithograph on paper by Keith Haring. Part of his first print series, this untitled work is a quintessential Keith Haring image. It showcases his signature bold lines, his simplistic composition, and three different symbols that reappear in his artwork: the UFOS, the barking dog, and the two smaller dogs on each side.

In addition to being an excellent visual artist, Haring was also an impassioned social and political activist whose values spoke volumes through his symbolic artworks. At the time of Untitled 2’s creation, HIV/AIDS had just recently been named an epidemic. The illness itself was devastating enough, but a taboo arose around it that tragically left those who needed compassion the most in an even darker place than before. Haring was in-tune with the epidemic’s ramifications on the spirit of society.

Untitled 2 portrays two of the most iconic symbols of Keith Haring’s extensive body of work, dogs and UFOs, and an empowering message. Many of Haring’s works utilize dogs as a representation of unjust authority and control, but in this particular work, the spotted figures represent those affected by HIV/AIDS. Often symbolizing alienated groups, the UFOs cast a radiant power into the figures, indicated by gestural lines. Haring’s lithograph howls “hope” for a better tomorrow for all who faced alienation, illness, and loss with spectacular strength.