Keith Haring's Unrealized Disney Collaboration Revealed in New Biography

A new biography reveals that Walt Disney Company sent a collaboration proposal to Keith Haring in 1990, shortly before his death. The artist, who had long dreamed of working with Disney, dismissed the letter as a hoax due to his declining health. The proposal, for a project titled 'Mickey Mouse seen through the eyes of Keith Haring,' was first mentioned by critic Ingrid Sischy in 1997 but details remained unknown until now. Brad Gooch's 'Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring,' out in March, discloses the full story. Haring, born May 4, 1958 in Reading, Pennsylvania, was deeply influenced by Disney characters and considered Walt Disney one of the three most important 20th-century artists alongside Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. He created Mickey Mouse drawings in 1980 blending Pop Art and graffiti. Posthumously, in 2021, the Keith Haring Foundation and Disney collaborated on merchandise including Swatch watches, Uniqlo T-shirts, and Coach bags using Haring's original Disney Mickey Mouse artworks.