Lot 420: Keith Haring Absolut Vodka Pop Art Advertising Lithograph, Absolut Haring, 1986

Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990) offset lithograph advertisement poster after the artist’s 1986 painting, “Absolut Haring.” Red lines radiate from a liquor bottle that stands before a yellow field while a crowd of Haring’s signature figures dance in the image’s lower half. With printed signature and date, lower right. Unframed. Sheet: 45 1/8 in. H x 32 15/16 in. W. Note: “In 1985 [Andy] Warhol became the first artist commissioned to create a portrait of the Absolut Vodka bottle in what would become one of the most successful advertising campaigns of the twentieth century. Following the triumph of the ‘Absolut Warhol’ ads, the president of the company that owned Absolut, Michel Roux, encouraged Warhol to suggest other artists which could be used in the campaign. Over the years more than three hundred and fifty artists have been commissioned, including Keith Haring and Ed Ruscha –both suggested by Warhol.” (Source: National Galleries of Scotland) The posters were primarily made available to liquor stores and distributors as marketing materials, and relatively few have survived. In 2025, to celebrate the upcoming 40-year anniversary of this collaboration, Absolut Vodka released an artist-edition bottle inspired by this advertisement.

PROVENANCE:

Collection of a Pennsylvania alcohol-beverage industry professional and colleague of Carillon Importers President and CEO Michel Roux, who oversaw the launch of Absolut Vodka in the United States and commissioned these posters. 

CONDITION:

Overall very good condition. With faint foxing to lower margin, outside of image. Poster is rolled, as issued.