Hear no evil, see no evil. Untitled C is a 1987 print by Keith Haring that takes the rise of digital media to trial. Keith Haring was a young American Pop artist who rose to fame for his iconic style of bold lines and geometric forms. Untitled C depicts Haring’s graffiti-inspired linework and trademark color blocking, but it also highlights the codified visual language he developed over the course of his career. In likeness to Egyptian hieroglyphics, Haring used symbols to establish narratives in his works and explore social issues including the AIDS epidemic, LGBTQ+ rights, apartheid, and as seen in Untitled C, the dangers of advancing technology. Coupled with his simplistic and engaging style, Haring’s messages transcended sociocultural limitations and made themselves accessible to people from all walks of life.

Vigilant where authority was concerned, Haring advocated passionately for the development of a discerning mind. The advent of digital advancements made information more easily accessible, but concurrently opened doors for exploiting media as a tool to deceive the public. In Untitled C, a figure covering its eyes is displayed on the screen of an old TV. Here, Haring’s childhood comic-strip influences show themselves in the form of gestural markings that activate the figure and create an aura of naïveté. The figure, obscuring its own sight, seems to metaphorically embody those who willingly close their eyes to the need for critical inquiry into the media. Haring’s Untitled C, thus, challenges its audience to avoid becoming the central figure, and instead to don a cloak of bravery and actively seek truth.