Barking dog is the first thing I think of when I hear about the artist Keith Haring. And I’ve been hearing about him a lot considering the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto is hosting a retrospective exhibition called “Keith Haring: Art is for Everybody” until March 17, 2024. Yes, several of Keith Haring’s Barking Dog images are part of the exhibition.

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Can you bring your pet dog to the Art Gallery of Ontario?

No, you can not bring your dog to the AGO. Only certified service dogs are allowed in the museum, as is the policy at most museums. (Except the Museum of the Dog in New York City which has special ‘bring your dog’ nights each month).

However, dog lovers might enjoy this exhibit – specifically, dog lovers who are also fans of pop art will love this exhibit.

Haring was part of a mid-twentieth-century pop art movement defined by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The “Art is for Everybody” encapsulates Haring’s short but highly influential impact on the evolution of art history in America.

Haring’s graphic one-dimensional colourful bubble-like figures – such as crawling baby and barking dog – have become iconic and reproduced on many t-shirts and other merchandise (affiliate links) – as the gallery’s gift store exemplifies. Haring himself opened the Pop Shop in 1986 (a replicated room is part of the current exhibition) in 1986, selling affordable merchandise, arguably more graphic art than high art.

Keith Haring History

Haring was born in 1958 in Pennsylvania and spent the 80s as a graffiti artist in New York City, painting playful cartoon figures (affiliate link) and bright radiating lines in public places such as subway walls in a counter-culture effort to make art more accessible to the masses.

Yet these whimsical figures evolved into deeper social commentary – and more phallic imagery. As he gained notoriety in the art world, Haring’s work adapted more evident social commentary about capitalism, Reaganomics, social justice, and HIV/AIDS issues.

Tragically, Haring died of AIDS-related complications in 1990 at the age of 31.

Thus the exhibition “Art is for Everybody” ends in the late 1980s showcasing Haring’s sculptures. Yes, toward the end of his short artistic career, Haring’s work was evolving into three-dimensional pieces – almost totem pole-like – etched with his iconic line figures., including Barking Dog (affiliate link).

These towering pieces leave the viewer speculating on the evolution his work would have taken – these totems also lead neatly into the AGO’s second pop art exhibition: KAWS: FAMILY, running until March 31, 2024.

KAWS Pop Art Premier

Making its Canadian museum debut, KAWS: FAMILY was a complete surprise for me. Admittedly, I’d had not heard of Brooklyn-based artist Brian Donnelly and his larger-than-life playful/creepy sculptures and graphic style pop art prints. But I should have.

The extremely popular Donnelly creates under the moniker KAWS (affiliate link to book) and borrows heavily from licensed cartoon images like the Michelin Man (the source of his iconic figure called “Companion”), Micky Mouse, and The Simpson – even Snoopy makes an appearance, but more on that soon. Donnelly’s art is close enough to clearly recognize the pop culture reference, but apparently creative enough to skirt copyright infringement.

The New Pop Art

And that might be the point – KAWS doesn’t make a clear distinction between gallery art, social commentary, crass consumerism, street art and graphic design. Unlike the 1960s and 70s of Haring’s world, designing for corporate brands selling running shoes and cereal, isn’t selling out in this world, but all part of the now celebrated urban art scene.

Donnelly adopted the name KAWS because, like Haring, he was first a graffiti artist in NYC and Jersey City. (In fact, he pays homage to Haring’s graffiti work in one piece). Born in 1974, he began his art career as an illustrator for Disney. The influence of animation projects is obvious in his now iconic KAWS figures.

The emotional rotund clownish sculptures in KAWS: FAMILY are simultaneously appealing and empathy-inducing, yet a bit eerie and fascinating. The graphic works depicting sad figures behind bars during the pandemic of 2020 resonate with some viewers currently, but 40 years from now will be as dated as Haring’s Reagan-era references are today.

Sad irony also resides here thanks to the juxtaposition of the exhibitions – there was a much different reaction to the mystery virus of the day that ultimately ended Haring’s life than to the virus KAWS is sheltering from in the prints.

KAWS Family Dog

OK, so what about Snoopy?

If Barking Dog is my favourite Haring creation, the mural titled “Man’s Best Friend” by KAWS is my favourite piece in the second pop art exhibition. Ten black and white screen prints – line drawings depicting recognizable parts of Snoopy from Peanuts – fill a gallery wall floor to ceiling.

No full image of the beloved cartoon dog is fully drawn, and his eyes are Xed out like most of KAWS’ figures, yet the reference is unmistakable. The mural prints are framed, yet scrawling black lines extend beyond the prints and onto the gallery’s walls and ceiling. Meet urban Snoopy, whose boundaries extend well beyond the Funny Page boxes.

Keith Haring’s Barking Dog Bowl

Both Keith Haring: Art is for Everybody and KAWS: FAMILY are at the Art Gallery of Ontario until March 2024. Following that, the Keith Haring exhibition will return to the US for a run at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from April 27 to September 8, 2024.

Note that the KAWS exhibition fills three rooms at the AGO – I almost missed the third.

If you’re missing your dog after visiting the AGO – and who isn’t? – you can bring home a Keith Haring Barking Dog stainless steel dog bowl for $41 CA. I didn’t, but was tempted. What dog doesn’t need some pop art inspired dinnerware?

Dog-friendly Toronto, Ontario

Looking for dog-friendly options in Toronto, Ontario? Check out our Toronto with Your Dog page – the centrally located Chelsea Hotel is dog-friendly, and so is the High Park Zoo and Toronto Outlet Mall. Find it all on dogtrotting.net here.

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria. Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!