Keith Haring and Pop Shop: A New Network for Sharing Art
Organized by: Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
Supported by: Yamanashi Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefectural Board of Education, Hokuto City, Hokuto City Board of Education
Collaborators: The Estate of Keith Haring, YDNY Productions, Inc., HEARTLAND, space LAB Ichimura
In the early 1980s, Keith Haring gained fame with his Subway Drawings—art created on unused advertisement panels in New York City’s subway system. In 1986, he shifted his focus from Subway Drawings and opened the Pop Shop, a store where he sold his own designed goods. Following the lead of Andy Warhol, who elevated American consumer culture into high art, Haring envisioned a way to democratize art in an era before the internet or iPods. His goal was not to sell art valued at a million yen to a handful of collectors but to distribute art worth a dollar to millions of people worldwide.
This exhibition showcases works from the museum’s collection, including the Pop Shop print series and Andy Mouse, a collaboration with Andy Warhol. The gallery space recreates the symbolic interior of the original Pop Shop, with walls covered in Haring’s iconic patterns. Also on display are a portrait of Joseph Beuys—an artist who greatly influenced Haring’s artistic philosophy—as well as drawings from 1982 and documentary photographs capturing the origins of the Pop Shop in the Subway Drawings.
INSTALLATION VIEW
RELATED EVENTS
Special Event: Special Night Museum – POP SHOP Bar × HEARTLAND
Dates: Friday, August 7 – Sunday, August 9; Friday, August 14 – Sunday, August 16, 2009
Venue: Nakamura Keith Haring Collection
For six nights in August 2009, the Special Night Museum will take place, with the museum remaining open until 8:00 PM. During this period, the POP SHOP Bar will be open exclusively for this event.
Set against the stunning natural backdrop of Yatsugatake, the illuminated museum will offer a romantic atmosphere. Guests can enjoy special cocktails and the unique POP Shot at the POP SHOP Bar, creating a beautiful summer night experience in Kobuchizawa.
