In 1987, the cigarette company Lucky Strike commissioned Keith Haring to design a suite of advertisements for the brand. Haring created nine drawings for Lucky Strike, from which the company selected five to be printed as limited edition silkscreen prints. Three of the designs, featuring the street artist’s signature expressive lines and dancing figures, were also released as posters. To humor his friends, Haring also created a tenth sketch for Lucky Strike that depicted a smoking skeleton. The executives at Lucky Strike weren’t too happy about that rendition, Haring noted in his journal.

Keith Haring Lucky Strike Screen-print, 1987:

"The advertising posters for Lucky Strike cigarettes reflect the popular Montreux posters from 1983. According to the imprint, they were commissioned by Lucky Strike Switzerland, arranged by the art consultant Pierre Keller, who at the time taught at the Gymnase de Bugnon in Lausanne and was later director of the art college there. Haring knew him since his work on the Montreux posters. He drew the designs in June at the high school in Lausanne." (source: Jürgen and Claus von der Osten. 'Keith Haring - Posters')

Medium: Silkscreen
Dimensions: 39.5 x 27.5
Minor signs of handling; otherwise excellent condition
Plate signed by Haring on lower right
1st edition. 1st printing, 1987

Literature/Catalog Raisonne:
Döring, Jürgen and Claus von der Osten. "Keith Haring - Posters" (Hamburg: Prestel, 2017).

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