The Valley is a suite of etchings by Keith Haring, illustrating the eponymous final chapter from The Western Lands by William S. Burroughs, drawn in 1989 and published in 1990.
Keith Haring tested positive for HIV in 1987 and had since developed Kaposi's sarcoma, a form of cancer that often accompanies AIDS, by the time these etchings were drawn in April 1989.
Their shared defiance of conventional standards, particularly with respect to sexuality, is a testament to the lasting influence of Burroughs on Haring's artistic expression.
In April 1989, Haring drew images for the portfolio onto sixteen copper plates in his New York studio, accompanying Burroughs’ text.
Burroughs hand-copied his text in script, onto sixteen sheets of tracing paper, which were photo-etched onto 10 × 9 inch copper plates and printed in red ink.
The author copied the text by hand on sixteen sheets of tracing paper, which were photo-etched onto 10" x 9" copper plates and printed in red ink.
The edition was hand-printed at Wellington Studios in London, and each copy is presented in a case constructed by James Currier of Newtown, Connecticut.
Index Index Foundation † Soft-ground and hard-ground etchings in black ink ‡ Photo-etched in red ink The complete series of eleven etchings is held in the permanent collections of: The complete suite of thirty-one sheets have featured in the following exhibitions: "The Valley, Haring’s collaborative portfolio with William Burroughs from 1989, reveals a more disturbing vision of human nature."