A collection of intimate works by Keith Haring, including a rare self-portrait, a painted crib, and personal letters, has gone on view at Sotheby's Breuer building in New York City. The works were gifted by Haring to his childhood best friend and fellow artist, Kermit Oswald, over the course of their friendship from 1977 to 1989. The free public exhibition precedes a series of three auctions beginning May 14, with highlights including the self-portrait estimated at $3–5 million and a crib-and-dresser set expected to fetch $250,000–350,000.
The exhibition and auction matter because they offer an unusually personal window into Haring's life and creative evolution, showcasing works that were never intended for the market but were given as tokens of deep friendship. The trove, held privately by Oswald for four decades, includes one of only six known Haring self-portraits and documents the artist's early visual language. The sale also underscores the enduring market demand for Haring's work, with the collection expected to generate millions.