Absolut Vodka celebrates a long standing artist collaboration with ‘Haring Cross’

Keith Haring, who passed away in 1990, has found a modern relevance, not least through his brand collaborations. Absolut Vodka, who collaborated with the artist in his lifetime, has created a fitting tribute to his place in its company history.

Keith Haring (1958–1990) was a the New York-based street artist and social activist, who blurred the lines between fine art, graffiti, and commercial culture during his brief but explosive career in the 1980s.

Known for his bold, cartoonish figures, radiant babies, and barking dogs scrawled on subway ads and public murals, Haring believed "art is for everybody”. His estate, managed by the Keith Haring Foundation since 1989, has overseen hundreds of posthumous partnerships. These collaborations generate millions in grants for AIDS organizations and children's charities, but they've also sparked debates about commercialisation diluting his activist roots.

Absolut legacy

Haring's Absolut Vodka work started in 1985 when Andy Warhol painted the bottle; Haring followed in 1986 with two works transforming the apothecary-shaped bottle into a yellow-and-red dancing figure masterpiece. "The use of commercial projects has enabled me to reach millions of people whom I would not have reached by remaining an unknown artist," Haring said, emphasising his goal to "communicate and contribute to culture."

Other '80s tie-ups included Swatch watches (1986), where Haring's playful motifs adorned colourful timepieces, and Fiorucci clothing (1983), for which he painted the Milan store's walls.

This Absolut partnership was revived in 2025 with a limited-edition bottle and a London Tube pop-up, and remains a cornerstone of Absolut's art legacy. 

And now for two days only, London’s bustling Charing Cross Tube station has been reimagined as ‘Haring Cross’, through a pop-up celebrating the iconic collaboration.

The Haring Cross experience

This immersive activation, running on 17 and 18 September, turns the daily commute into a vibrant journey through art and history, showcasing Haring’s bold, energetic style in one of the capital’s busiest Underground stations.

The ‘Haring Cross’ experience, part of the global Absolut Haring campaign, transforms the station’s ticket hall and escalators with graphic elements inspired by Haring’s instantly recognisable red-and-yellow dancing figures.

For the first time in the UK, two original Haring paintings from 1986, created for Absolut Vodka, are on public display. These works, which once turned Absolut’s apothecary-shaped bottle into an art world icon, capture the spirit of Haring’s mass market leanings. Commuters and visitors can also claim a free poster of one of Haring’s displayed artworks (while stocks last), bringing his vibrant legacy into their homes.

Absolut’s collaboration with Haring in 1986 marked a pivotal moment in their history of working with pop art pioneers, starting with Andy Warhol in 1985 and spanning over 550 artists who created 850+ works for the Absolut Art Collection, now housed at Spritmuseum in Stockholm.

The ‘Haring Cross’ event follows the July launch of the Absolut Haring Artist-Edition bottle, available in 40 markets from September, featuring debossed dancing figures and Haring’s signature on a striking blue bottle.

Our take

I think I first discovered Haring’s work through a Uniqlo clothing range in the last decade or so, but I’ve since noticed it all over the place. I’d not, however, seen his Absolut work, but was impressed by the vivid colours and Warhol-esque subversion.

As big fans of public art displays and cheeky brand tie-ins, this was right up our street. We love how the artist himself is memorialised through the stunt, and the light it throws on his legacy.

It seems like Haring himself would’ve been all for it too, given the organic nature of their collaboration. Perhaps this will inspire some other brands to get involved in public art shows too. Chupa-Chups, for example, features a logo designed by Salvador Dali. Maybe there’s an opportunity there?