Untitled 27 (Heart Couple) is a 1987 silkscreen on paper by Keith Haring. Known for his work in the Pop art genre, the artist was a devout believer in breaking the conventions of “high art” and pursued a form that was inclusive and resonated with the wider public.

Highly recognizable for its bold lines and geometric sensibilities, Haring’s style married his love for graffiti art with his passion for social activism, but with playful elements that made his works a delightful invitation to think deeply. As an activist, Haring covered a vast range of issues to include the HIV/AIDS epidemic, LGBTQ+ rights, apartheid, technological advancement, nuclear war, and more. Haring created a vast pictorial language, similar to the nature of Egyptian hieroglyphics, that served to heighten his artistic narratives and codify messages to his audiences. His hope to foster community and inspiration for a better future permeates his every piece and to this day, his works remain relevant reminders of our collective humanity.

Untitled 27 (Heart Couple) is warm in spirit, depicting two neutral figures beneath a red, radiating love heart. Haring endows the simplistic figures with more complex personality and intention with gestural lines and body posturing, making the figure to the right of the composition appear to comfort the figure to the left. The nature of the relationship of the two figures is for viewers to decide, but Haring’s intent to encourage goodwill with Untitled 27 (Heart Couple) is undebatable.