The legacy of Keith Haring doesn’t only live on in art exhibitions or on the walls of rich collectors — now ice cream makers have taken a shine to the pop art trailblazer.
For Pride Month, the Brooklyn-based Van Leeuwen Ice Cream company will roll out a specialty flavor in honor of the late painter, known for his animated imagery that came out of New York City’s graffiti subculture of the 1980s.
Debuting June 1 and inspired by the vibrant colors of Haring’s work, Passion Fruit Berry Pop is a blend of blue raspberry ice cream and yellow passion fruit ice cream with swirls of strawberry jam. The frozen treat will be available at Van Leeuwen scoop shops and by the pint at select grocery stores in the Tri-State area through Aug. 31.
“This is the first time we’ve based a flavor on art, so it was really fun,” Van Leeuwen co-founder Laura O’Neill told The Daily News on Wednesday, adding that the company worked closely with Haring’s studio to ensure his art was portrayed correctly. “Obviously we wanted to highlight some of the iconic colors Keith Haring used but we also wanted the flavor to taste as fun as it looked.”
Van Leeuwen plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from pint sales at scoop shops during Pride Month to The Center, a home and resource hub for NYC’s LGBTQ community.
Haring, who died from AIDS complications in 1990 at the age of 31, made a mission of celebrating joy and inclusivity. He established a foundation in his name to maintain and enhance his legacy of working with and donating to children’s and AIDS organizations.
Although Haring has remained popular in art-world circles, he’s had a mainstream resurgence in recent years via fashion brands such as H&M, Uniqlo and Gap. Last year, the Igloo outdoor products company even released a series of coolers featuring the work of Haring and fellow 1980s pop artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Danish jewelry company Pandora also released a 12-piece limited collection in partnership with Haring’s estate.
“Keith Haring’s work is so iconic and appeals to everyone,” O’Neill told The News. “His work is timeless, but with the recent trends for all things ‘80s, there’s been an ever bigger resurgence of people celebrating his work and legacy.”