Keith Haring Mural May Decide the Fate of Public Art in Philly

Philadelphia’s Historical Commission is considering whether to add Keith Haring’s mural “We The Youth” (1987) to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, a move that could set a precedent for protecting public art in the city. The mural, created with 14 high school students in the Point Breeze neighborhood, is the only one of Haring’s collaborative murals still in its original location and has been restored twice over its 39-year history. Public comment is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, with a commission-wide vote set for October 9; if approved, it would be the first outdoor mural to receive this form of protection in Philadelphia. The wall is co-owned by the Neighborhood Gardens Trust and OCF Realty, and stakeholders including the Keith Haring Foundation have publicly supported designation as a means of securing legal protections against loss.

Read the full article at Hyperallergic