The House of Field| EXHIBITION | NAKAMURA KEITH HARING COLLECTION

Special Exhibition

The House of Field

Jun 03, 2023 (Sat) － May 19, 2024 (Sun)

Venue: Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
Organized by Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
Supported by U.S. Embassy, Tokyo
Special Thanks to Patricia Field ARTFASHION

In this exhibition, we proudly introduce the art collection Patricia Field has gathered over half a century, boasting an illustrious career as a costume designer and stylist, including Emmy Award wins and Academy Award nominations.

Born and raised in New York, Patricia Field opened her first boutique, “THE PANTS PUB, LTD.,” at 24 years old. The boutique eventually transformed into the eponymous “Patricia Field” and, as it moved throughout the East Village, formed a community known as the “House of Field.” The term “house” has been used since the 1970s in the New York underground scene, particularly among Black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities, as a term representing a chosen family that lives and supports each other beyond conventional frameworks. Today, the “House of Field” still comprises staff, designers, artists, and beauty professionals affiliated with Patricia Field’s boutique, as well as people who admire her, maintaining its presence as a vital element of the boutique’s legacy.

A distinctive feature of the boutique was the vibrant art that adorned the entire space, from walls and display windows to dressing room doors. Field, a maternal figure within the House, supported artists by purchasing and displaying their work, and in turn, artists gifted her with portraits as a token of their admiration and affection.

The beloved boutique “Patricia Field” closed its doors in spring 2016, and approximately 190 major pieces from the art collection were acquired by the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection. These works candidly portray human desires, converting them into positive energy with an exaggerated touch and questioning what it means to live authentically. The glittery artworks and glamorous attire of those surrounding Field serve as armor to protect themselves from the dark side of humanity brought on by social structures. Those who wear this fierce armor are individuals who, despite being vulnerable to an unjust society, continue to resist falling victim to systemic mistreatment and othering.

Patricia Field

Born in New York, Patricia Field is best known as the costume designer and stylist for iconic productions such as The Devil Wears Prada, Sex and the City, and Emily in Paris. After studying philosophy and political science at New York University, she opened her first boutique near Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village in 1966. In 2016, she closed the beloved boutique and launched the brand “Patricia Field ARTFashion” with the concept of “wearable art.” Since then, she has continued to have a significant impact not only on fashion but also on popular culture.

INSTALLATION VIEW

Photo by ©︎Kohey Kanno

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Showcasing works by diverse artists alongside photographs by Tina Paul.

Introducing the Patricia Field Art Collection alongside photographs by Tina Paul, who has documented New York’s nightlife since the 1980s. Patricia Field, renowned for her wide-ranging collection of works by both iconic creators like Susan Pitt—one of America’s leading animation filmmakers and painters—and emerging unknown artists, has long provided a space for life and expression as the “mother” of the “House of Field,” a home to many of these artists. The Patricia Field Art Collection was built through these deeply personal connections.

2. A video installation documenting the mid-1980s boutique “Patricia Field” and a recreated boutique installation.

This exhibition recreates the vibrant atmosphere of the “House of Field” and its art-filled boutique through an installation featuring neon signs, mannequins, and other props once used in the boutique. In the gallery, visitors can experience the mid-1980s boutique “Patricia Field” through a continuous screening of footage by Nelson Sullivan, a videographer who documented the downtown club and art scenes. Surrounded by the conversations of Patricia Field, boutique staff, and shoppers captured on film, visitors can immerse themselves in the unique world of the boutique while viewing the artworks.

FEATURED ARTWORKS