Exhibition/event has ended.
Haroshi "Abaco"
Nanzuka Underground
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Artists
Haroshi
NANZUKA is pleased to present ABACO, a solo exhibition by Tokyo-based artist Haroshi at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND. This marks the artist’s third solo exhibition at the gallery following GUZO (2017) and I versus I(2021) and features a selection of new works.
Since 2003, Haroshi has engaged in creating artworks through a unique and self-taught method of utilizing parts from old skateboard decks. He continues to receive much acclaim and recognition as an artist who symbolizes the current street scene through various activities including his collaborations with the street brand HUF and the production of the trophies
for BATB, one of the world’s leading skateboarding competitions. His recent solo exhibitions include a showcasing at Art Basel Miami Beach (Nova, NANZUKA) in 2018 and Dive into the Pit at Jeffrey Deitch New York in 2022. He has also participated in numerous international group exhibitions such as Tokyo Pop Underground, which toured the galleries of Jeffery Deitch in New York and Los Angeles from 2019 to 2020, and City As Studio (K11 MUSEA, Hong Kong) in 2023.
Over the course of his artistic practice, Haroshi has produced a number of unique body of work such as the GUZO series, a collection of sculptures that embodies a deep respect and appreciation for well-used skateboards; a series of soft vinyl works that express a love for objects by repairing and remodeling old plastic vinyl action figures and breathing new life into them; and Mosh Pit, mosaic two-dimensional works made by chopping up used skateboard decks and rearranging them so as to convey the personal history of each skateboarder and skateboard culture as a whole in a cohesive manner.
Meanwhile, this exhibition ABACO, features new sculptures inspired by Kokeshi dolls and abacus beads that are no longer needed by people and are traded cheaply on the second-hand market, the complete works of which are presented together in the form of an installation. Haroshi’s focus on materials whose value are becoming obsolete in our contemporary age stems from his long-standing interest in indigenous Japanese culture, which he has been exploring for many years from his own distinct perspective. One example of this is the relationship between the GUZO series and Dosojin (Shinto deities that reside in stone carvings such as Jizo statues commonly found along roads in Japan, dedicated to the protection of travelers), which were born from the Japanese aesthetic sense of seeking to find the presence of god in all things. As this reflects, respect and love for abandoned things is also an important context in Haroshi’s work, and it is thus natural that he chose Kokeshi dolls and abacuses as motifs for his latest body of work.
For Haroshi, who creates artwork by unraveling the history, stories, and affection for objects, this exhibition serves as an important milestone that indicates a new direction in his artistic practice.
Since 2003, Haroshi has engaged in creating artworks through a unique and self-taught method of utilizing parts from old skateboard decks. He continues to receive much acclaim and recognition as an artist who symbolizes the current street scene through various activities including his collaborations with the street brand HUF and the production of the trophies
for BATB, one of the world’s leading skateboarding competitions. His recent solo exhibitions include a showcasing at Art Basel Miami Beach (Nova, NANZUKA) in 2018 and Dive into the Pit at Jeffrey Deitch New York in 2022. He has also participated in numerous international group exhibitions such as Tokyo Pop Underground, which toured the galleries of Jeffery Deitch in New York and Los Angeles from 2019 to 2020, and City As Studio (K11 MUSEA, Hong Kong) in 2023.
Over the course of his artistic practice, Haroshi has produced a number of unique body of work such as the GUZO series, a collection of sculptures that embodies a deep respect and appreciation for well-used skateboards; a series of soft vinyl works that express a love for objects by repairing and remodeling old plastic vinyl action figures and breathing new life into them; and Mosh Pit, mosaic two-dimensional works made by chopping up used skateboard decks and rearranging them so as to convey the personal history of each skateboarder and skateboard culture as a whole in a cohesive manner.
Meanwhile, this exhibition ABACO, features new sculptures inspired by Kokeshi dolls and abacus beads that are no longer needed by people and are traded cheaply on the second-hand market, the complete works of which are presented together in the form of an installation. Haroshi’s focus on materials whose value are becoming obsolete in our contemporary age stems from his long-standing interest in indigenous Japanese culture, which he has been exploring for many years from his own distinct perspective. One example of this is the relationship between the GUZO series and Dosojin (Shinto deities that reside in stone carvings such as Jizo statues commonly found along roads in Japan, dedicated to the protection of travelers), which were born from the Japanese aesthetic sense of seeking to find the presence of god in all things. As this reflects, respect and love for abandoned things is also an important context in Haroshi’s work, and it is thus natural that he chose Kokeshi dolls and abacuses as motifs for his latest body of work.
For Haroshi, who creates artwork by unraveling the history, stories, and affection for objects, this exhibition serves as an important milestone that indicates a new direction in his artistic practice.
Schedule | Sep 12 (Fri) 2025-Nov 9 (Sun) 2025 Opening Hours Information
Opening Reception Sep 12 (Fri) 2025 17:00 - 20:00 | ||||
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | https://nanzuka.com/en/exhibitions/haroshi-abaco | ||||
| Venue | Nanzuka Underground http://www.nug.jp | ||||
| Location | 3-30-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 | ||||
| Access | 8 minute walk from exit 5 at Meiji-jingumae Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines, 10 minute walk from the Takeshita exit of Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote line. | ||||
| Phone | 03-5422-3877 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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