The dog’s simple, cartoonish shape references Haring’s interest in Egyptian hieroglyphics, an example of how humans communicate their experiences through universal shapes and signs. Haring’s “Barking Dogs” can be found throughout his body of work, from some of his early Subway Drawings to merchandise sold in his Pop Shops. In 1990, just a few months before his early death, Haring chose to immortalize his “Barking Dog” motif alongside four of his most celebrated symbols in a series of lithographs entitled “Icons” cementing the graphic canine as one of the most important symbols in his body of work.

Keith Haring
Barking Dog From Icons, 1990
Screen-print with embossing in colors on Arches wove paper
53.3 x 63.5 cm (21×25 inches)
Edition: 250

The Barking Dog, for example, can indicate action or suspicion. The Dog as a character, sometimes represented as a standing figure (combined with a human form), represents authoritarian government, abuse of power, police states, and oppressive regimes. In addition to these two representations, the other dogs in the art of Keith Haring are all anthropomorphic. Certain Dogs are depicted dancing, laughing, DJing, etc. in these personifications, it is almost as though they take on the role of an alter ego of the artist. Throughout Art History, Dogs have been portrayed in paintings as the personification of fidelity. Dogs also imply loyalty, guidance, protection and love. As a student of semiotics, none of these implications would have been lost on haring and it is not surprising that this would be one of his most-used icons.