**Frevo · New York City · 2022**

Harlem Frames worked with Frevo on the presentation of photographer **Richard Corman's portraits of Keith Haring** for *I Shot The Messenger!*, a solo exhibition presented at the restaurant's intimate gallery space in Greenwich Village.

The Exhibition

The exhibition was composed of five previously unearthed portraits from Corman's 1985 session with Haring at the artist's legendary 676 Broadway studio.

Originally photographed while Corman was on assignment for L'Uomo Vogue, the portraits capture Haring at a defining moment in his career, as he’s photographed immersed in the energy and visual language of his New York studio.

For I Shot The Messenger!, Corman's photographs were transformed into large-scale, generously, vibrant works. The portraits were positioned against carefully selected Pantone colors and printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultrasmooth, creating a presentation intended to echo the bold color Corman remembered encountering throughout Haring's studio.

Installed throughout Frevo, the series ultimately invited audiences to engage in a dialogue between photography, color, portraiture, and Haring's unmistakable creative legacy.

Framed by Harlem Frames

Harlem Frames created **custom float frames** for Richard Corman's Keith Haring portraits presented at Frevo.

Color was especially integral to the framing process. To retain continuity between Corman's vivid photographic works and their presentation, the artist provided Harlem Frames with the specific paints he desired for each frame. Each float frame was then custom-painted in our studio using those artist-selected colors, enabling the framing to become a deliberate extension of the work rather than a neutral boundary encompassing it.

The float construction creates a subtle separation between each work and its surrounding frame, giving the imagery room to breathe while emphasizing the scale and physical presence of the pieces. Combined with Corman's chosen colors, the frames reinforce the bold visual character of the series and its connection to the energy and color associated with Keith Haring's work.

For Harlem Frames, the project demonstrates how custom framing can become a genuinely collaborative process. Rather than selecting from predetermined finishes, the artist's own color palette became part of the fabrication itself, resulting in frames customized specifically to accomodate and bolster Corman's vision for the exhibition.

Installed throughout Frevo's gallery environment, the finished works bring together Corman's photography, Haring's unmistakable presence, and a framing treatment developed specifically for the series.

Artist: Richard Corman

Subject: Keith Haring

Exhibition: I Shot The Messenger! — A Portrait of Keith Haring

Venue: Frevo, New York City

Exhibition: September–November 2022

Framing: Custom framing by Harlem Frames

Richard Corman's Portrait of Keith Haring at Frevo

Images Source: Frevo NYC & Brooklyn Editon