"Head Body" by L, cutouts and blobs of paint on paper

Keith Haring’s brilliant career was sadly cut short but not before he introduced us to some of the most joyful art seen in decades. His bright colors and iconic “people in motion” literally leapt off the page and defined an artist buoyed by possibility against the longest of odds. In one flat swift kick, L nearly undoes this all. “Head Body” is the art world’s answer to the Edsel. A discouraging glut of color and shape answer to no higher reason here, and simpleminded attempts to add “depth” to the piece (one eye, how mysterious!) carry the subtlety of a Humvee in a Quaker village. Let us hope that this unfortunate character’s resemblance to Haring’s tribe is purely coincidental. If not, L owes the art world a sincere apology. I’ll bring the microphone. Have a glorious weekend.