A Church Without a Bible Vol. II: Pop, Myth, and a Wonderful World

Mar 17, 2012 (Sat) － Jan 07, 2013 (Mon)

Venue: Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
Support: Keith Haring Foundation, Nicholas Kirkwood Studio
Endorsed by: Yamanashi Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefectural Board of Education, Hokuto City, Hokuto City Board of Education, Medical Principles Co., Ltd.

In the 1980s, while Japan experienced the economic boom of the bubble era, New York was plagued by poor public safety and a declining standard of living. The city carried an overall dark image, with racial tensions and discrimination against the LGBTQ community surfacing amidst the chaos. Yet, simultaneously, a unique and vibrant New York culture emerged. Street art, breakdancing, graffiti, and figures like Warhol, Basquiat, and Madonna rose to prominence during this era.

Keith Haring arrived in New York in 1978, a young 20-year-old artist drawn to the city’s extraordinary energy. He was deeply influenced by its cultural dynamism.

“Nothing is constant. Everything is constantly changing. Every second from birth is spent experiencing; different sensations, different interjections, different directional vectors of force/energy constantly composing and recomposing themselves around you.”

– Keith Haring, October 14, 1978

This exhibition, A Church Without a Bible Vol. II: Pop, Myth, and a Wonderful World, delves into Haring’s art, focusing on three key aspects: pop culture born from capitalist consumerism, the mythologizing (idolization) of social concepts, and the liberation of the individual and freedom (hope for the future).

The exhibition begins in the Slope into Darkness, where Haring’s drawings, reminiscent of Jomon patterns, cover the walls up to the ceiling. Visitors then move into The Thinking Room, showcasing the iconic Subway Drawings—works created with white chalk on unused black subway advertisements. The Icon Space features Haring’s well-known Icons series and his rare collaboration with Andy Warhol, Andy Mouse, displayed in its entirety for the first time. The Room of Hope displays large sculptures, Haring’s collaborative work with William Burroughs, Apocalypse, and the newly acquired Medusa. Finally, the exhibition concludes with The Corridor of Freedom, a curated series of works offering multifaceted interpretations of Haring’s art, presented in rotation throughout the exhibition period.

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