The next release from LEGO® Art is another exciting choice: the iconic work of 1980s artist Keith Haring. His energetic, symbolic figures have been part of pop culture for over 40 years now, and set 31216 Keith Haring – Dancing Figures translates them into LEGO form superbly.
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31216 Keith Haring – Dancing Figures
- Release date: 15 May 2025
- Pieces: 1773
- US$ 119.99 on LEGO.com US
- CA$ 149.99 on LEGO.com Canada
- GB£ 104.99 on LEGO.com UK
- AU$ 199.99 on LEGO.com Australia
- NZ$ 219.99 on LEGO.com New Zealand
- DE€ 119,99 on LEGO.com Deutschland
- NL€ 119,99 on LEGO.com Nederland
- FR€ 119,99 on LEGO.com France
- PLN 529.99 on LEGO.com Polska
- NOK 1649,90 on LEGO.com Norge
- DKK 1049.95 on LEGO.com Danmark
About the Keith Haring LEGO® set
The set comprises 5 models of figures in different colours, each built with its own instruction booklet so you can build with family or friends. Complex techniques are used to place LEGO pieces at unusual angles to achieve the closest possible match to Haring's original – although, many different versions of these figures exist in his work.
The version chosen, as shown on the back of the box, uses a darker pink and lighter yellow. Perhaps Dark Pink and Bright Light Yellow may have been closer matches, but it's likely those would have required many more recolours of existing parts than the Bright Pink and Yellow chosen.
The figures are very thick – 2 modules – which makes sense, as that is a good size for building sideways, and many such techniques are visible.
Each figure comes with its own stand so you can display them on a shelf – rearranging them to your liking.
You can ditch the stands and use the hanging piece on the rear to attach them to your wall.
We can't wait to review this – and we will soon!
Recolours
The 2-D nature of this set made it fairly easy to spot parts that have been colour-changed! Here is what the team spotted in the official images.
Orange
Medium Azure
- Tile Special 2x2 with 2 Quarter Round Cutouts (3396)
Yellow
- Tile Special 2x2 with 2 Quarter Round Cutouts (3396)
Bright Pink
- Tile Round 1 x 2 Half Circle (1748)
- Wedge Plate 2 x 2 Right (24307) – previously, only the Left was available
- Wedge Plate 3 x 2 Left (43723)
- Wedge Plate 3 x 2 Right (43722)
- Tile Special 2x2 with 2 Quarter Round Cutouts (3396)
- Wedge Tile 1 x 2 Left (5091)
- Wedge Tile 1 x 2 Right (5092)
Green
Black
Transparent-Clear
- Plate Round 1 x 1 with Hollow Stud and Underside Clip (5264)
Hard to make out, but this screengrab from the spinaround shows how those angled, radiating lines are achieved: the new round plate with underside clip, in trans-clear! Doubly exciting.
Who was Keith Haring?
Born in Pennsylvania, USA, Keith Haring moved to New York in 1978 to study painting. In the early 1980s he became popular for his iconic chalk drawings on subway, executed on the black paper left in empty advertising hoardings. Global success followed quickly; his simplistic, vibrant and animated pictograms of humans, babies, dogs, hearts and many more intrigued and excited viewers.
Haring was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and AIDS in 1988. His work had always communicated energy and life, and now it took a turn towards activism and awareness. Haring died from complications of AIDS in 1990.
_original.jpg) |
| Keith Haring at work in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, 1986 by Rob Bogaerts (Anefo), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons |
As a gay teenager who came out in 1988, I was well aware of Haring's work. While the Australian Government were producing safe sex campaigns based upon terror, like the [content warning: horrific and offensive] Grim Reaper bowling alley ad that was repeatedly shown on national tv, community organisations were using Haring's body-positive and life-positive imagery instead. His messages of love and life still speak to us all.
It's wonderful to see The LEGO Group produce this set all these decades later.
READ MORE: Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree and Happy Plants revealed by LEGO® Botanicals
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These are pretty great! Fun to see the Lego Art series really break out of the frame, especially for something 2D. I'd love to get a Calder set someday.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the lack of a frame is a great fit here, since a lot of Haring's work was in forms like graffiti and murals rather than framed pieces. A Calder set would be loads of fun if they could get the balance right!
Delete"but it's likely those would have required many more recolours of existing parts" like LEGO can't afford the recolors wwith their constantly hiking prices
ReplyDeleteI think Dark Azure also would have been a closer color match than Medium Azure
ReplyDeleteI found myself hoping for a moment that some of those transparent bar elements were actually 3L… But I’m still grateful for the all-too-recently issued trans clear 4L bar. Maybe they’re just worried the 3L would be 25% easier for us to lose?
ReplyDelete