[Curator’s Selection 002] Keith Haring: from Man to Pattern
About the Curator’s Selection
In celebration of the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection’s 5th anniversary in 2012, the museum is hosting the Curator’s Selection, a series of four exhibitions curated by our team to explore Keith Haring’s works through diverse interpretations.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
This second installment in the series, Keith Haring: from Man to Pattern, focuses on the transformation of human figures into patterns in Haring’s art.
During his short life, cut tragically short at the age of 31, Keith Haring created countless depictions of human figures. These were not identifiable portraits but instead represented the most fundamental essence of humanity, stripped of individual traits.
Rendered in simple, continuous outlines, Haring’s figures often filled entire canvases in all-over compositions or appeared symmetrically arranged, transforming into patterns while retaining their human origins. Despite the pattern-like qualities, these works retained an organic, non-geometric nature—a hallmark of Haring’s lifelong fascination with humanity.
This exhibition features selections from the museum’s collection, offering insight into the relationship between figures and patterns in Haring’s work and highlighting his unique approach to representing humanity.
FEATURED ARTWORKS
Growing 5, 1988
Pyramid, 1989
Growing 3, 1988
