About the Curator’s Selection

In 2012, the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection celebrates its 5th anniversary. As a commemorative initiative, the museum has launched the Curator’s Selection series, in which museum curators present themed exhibitions exploring Haring’s work through multifaceted perspectives.

“Though Keith Haring died only two years after I started making street art, his art and practice had already had a profound impact on me. Haring demonstrated that one could create art on the street that differed from the more pervasive lettering-based graffiti. He also showed me that the same artists could not only affect people on the streets, they could also put their art on T-shirts and record covers, as well as have their work respected, displayed, and sold as fine art. Inspired by Keith Haring’s achievements, I pursued my art career with the optimism that my goals could be attained.”

—Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey, who gained global recognition with his Barack Obama HOPE poster during the 2008 U.S. presidential election, credits his artistic foundations to the profound influence of Keith Haring. This year, a collaboration between Fairey’s world-renowned street art project OBEY and Keith Haring has come to life. The Nakamura Keith Haring Collection proudly presents the exhibition Shepard Fairey × Keith Haring: THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE.

In this exhibition, a symbolic collaborative piece featuring Fairey’s iconic 1989 André the Giant—a legendary sticker motif for street posters—reworked with Haring’s famous three-eyed face will be displayed across an entire wall. This reimagined work exemplifies the synergy between Fairey’s OBEY street art ethos and Haring’s artistic icons. Additionally, rare fine art works by Fairey will be showcased.

This two-artist exhibition offers a unique opportunity to experience the interwoven legacies of Keith Haring and Shepard Fairey, who transcended the boundaries between street art and fine art, leaving their mark on history and contemporary culture.