Said Castellani, who comes from a family of winemakers, in a 2012 interview:
We met quite randomly on a sidewalk in the East Village. I was a young student from Pisa, passionate about art, Keith was at the peak of his career and I recognized him immediately and I approached him, I said goodbye and invited him to do something important in Italy. The next day I was in his studio and we started working on the creation of "Tuttomondo."
And...
In 1989 the Castellani Family invited Keith Haring to Pisa to realize what would become one of his most important, permanent public works, the monumental mural "Tuttomondo."
While Castellani said the chance encounter was in the East Village, there's some thought the photo was taken in the West Village.
That's taken by the West 4th Street basketball courts on 6th Ave
ReplyDeleteUsed to see his chalk drawings in the nearby West 4th St station.
DeleteNot sure if I can embed a link:
ReplyDeletehttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9LSHn6DFpkTgZ7789
6th Av and Minetta Lane. northeast corner
ReplyDeleteCorrection: 6th Av and West 3rd Street
ReplyDeleteYes, this is in the West Village. 6th Ave looking north at W. 4th — golden swan garden / bball courts on the right, the crown of The Waverly in the left distance.
ReplyDeleteHuh. TIL that the Golden Swan Garden was only created in 2000! So not actually in this picture, which is what threw me off. On the edge you can see the rare wood-framed building that housed, then and now, the Washington Square Diner.
DeleteHappy 67th, Keith! Hope you are dancing.
ReplyDeleteThis is the basketball court on west 4th.
ReplyDeletehttps://maps.app.goo.gl/CJjSkYfGa6esP3fT9
Definitely 6th Ave and West 3rd Street next to the fenced in basketball court. I used to live a block away. I would also point out that maybe Castellani's story about meeting first in the East Village can still be true.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely basketball courts on 6th and 4th streets in W village.
ReplyDelete