Once Upon A Time Keith Haring Painted An Explicit Masterpiece Across A Public Bathroom

A pioneering artist whose vehement social activism informed one of Pop-graffiti’s best-known oeuvres, Keith Haring treated New York City as his canvas. But what even the savviest locals may not know is that one of his greatest murals is preserved where they’d least expect it, on view without an admission charge, seven days a week.

Across four white walls, spectacularly sexual creatures radiate and intertwine. Signed “K. Haring” and dated “5.27.89,” Once Upon a Time would be one of the 31-year-old artist’s last major public artworks before he tragically succumbed to AIDS less than a year later.

Keith Haring created Once Upon a Time to honor the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising—a series of riots in Manhattan’s West Village that marked a significant turning point in the Gay Liberation movement.

The mural resides on the second floor men’s bathroom in The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center on West 13th Street, where it was originally painted for a group exhibition of site-specific artworks titled The Center Show.

Known for bridging the gap between fine and public art, many of Keith Haring’s artworks advocated gay rights, safe sex, and HIV/AIDS awareness by way of illustrated posters for The AIDS Hotline, and a famous PSA that reads “Ignorance = Fear” and “Silence = Death.” As the Reagan administration mocked the epidemic, Haring was a crusading force in championing AIDS research.

But there’s something intimate about Once Upon a Time, the artist’s last major musing on the days before AIDS tore through the gay community. An exalted celebration of sexuality, it exists outside the confines of Haring’s own tragic reality.

Haring’s mural suffered extensive damage over the years, but the masterpiece was fully restored in 2015. The space in which it’s situated is no longer a bathroom. Rather, it serves as a humble homage to Haring’s legacy, and the freedom he dreamt of for the community at large.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Community Center, 208 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011 is open to the public from 9am until 10pm Monday through Saturday, 9am to 9pm on Sundays.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.