Special Exhibition Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Keith Haring’s Birth: It is art as I know it. It is life as I know it.

Apr 25, 2008 (Fri) － Jan 12, 2009 (Mon)

Organizer: Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
Sponsors: Japan Airlines, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Nippon Express Co., Ltd., Taisei Corporation, Hayano Corporation, Netz Toyota Kai Co., Ltd., Yasashii Te Kofu Co., Ltd., Kofu Transportation Co., Ltd., Toyota Home Yamanashi Co., Ltd., Road Co., Ltd., Heartful Staff Co., Ltd., Quaras, Ken Corporation, ART PRINT JAPAN, Hagiwara Boring Co., Ltd., Kotani CPA Office (in no particular order)
Collaborators: The Estate of Keith Haring, TOKYO FM, YDNY Production Inc., KIDO Press Inc., Tama City Cultural Foundation (Parthenon Tama), Niigata Bandaijima Art Museum

Keith Haring, an artist who blazed through the 1980s, created an astonishing body of work during a brief yet prolific 10-year career before his untimely death at age 31. His art continues to resonate with intense vitality, evoking dreams, future visions, and even a sense of madness—remaining as powerful and relevant today as it was during his lifetime.

In 2008, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Haring’s birth, we present the exhibition “It is art as I know it. It is life as I know it. Dreams, Love, Hope, and Peace.” This exhibition explores the breadth of Haring’s artistry, including New York subway advertisements that launched his career in the early 1980s. The Subway Drawings were created on blank advertising spaces in subway stations and quickly brought Haring widespread recognition. The Blueprint Drawings, which reflect his recurring motifs of dogs and humans, reveal a deeply personal and philosophical worldview. The exhibition also features bold, colorful large-scale sculptures, the complete Apocalypse series created in collaboration with poet William S. Burroughs, and rare workshop works produced in 1987 at Parthenon Tama (Tama City), among approximately 90 pieces on display.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary, part of the museum’s interior walls has been transformed to recreate Haring’s iconic street drawings, paying tribute to the legend of New York street culture. This immersive space uniquely reflects Haring’s lifelong pursuit of self-liberation, offering visitors a glimpse into his world.

This exhibition conveys Haring’s enduring message of hope and dreams for humanity—not only to those who lived through the 1980s but also to younger generations and the IT-native children of today.

Keith Haring 50th Birthday Commemoration Event: Poetry and Sound Performance – E c o u t é (Sound Spirit)

Keith Haring, a leading figure of the 1980s New York art scene, passed away from AIDS at the young age of 31 in 1990. This year, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his birth, we present a sound performance combining music, poetry, and dance.

Sound: Toshinori Kondo Special Live Performance

World-renowned musician Toshinori Kondo, currently based in Amsterdam, will perform pieces from his new release Going Places…for Keith (simultaneously released in Japan, Europe, and the United States), created in tribute to Keith Haring. During the peak of New York’s club culture in the early 1980s, Kondo was active as a musician in the city. This release features tracks like “Let’s Go Keith” and “Groovy Street,” evoking the vibrant lights and shadows of urban life, as well as more mysterious pieces such as “Blow Your Mind,” inspired by the themes of the cosmos and life central to Haring’s art.

Dance: A Fusion of Sound and Contemporary Dance

Under the theme of “Mother Nature, Life, Sexuality, Coexistence, and Emotions,” a powerful performance will be presented by Japan’s top dancers, including Kayoko Mima, Kuniaki Konno, Kazuma Motomura, and Kirie Oda. Conceived in New York and reimagined for this event, the performance will unfold against the backdrop of Kondo’s live music and the deep natural setting of Kobuchizawa. Centered around a light emanating from the outdoor stage, the dancers will portray mystical life forms, echoing like spirits through the Jomon-rich history of the region.

Poetry: Readings of Haring’s Writings and Letters from the LIVING TOGETHER Project

Excerpts from Keith Haring’s personal writings will be read alongside letters from people living with HIV/AIDS, collected by the LIVING TOGETHER Project (http://www.living-together.net), an initiative that shares realities about the HIV/AIDS experience. These heartfelt words will be brought to life by announcers from TOKYO FM and Yamanashi-based broadcasters, resonating powerfully with the surrounding landscape.