Namio Harukawa

LSS Los Angeles

“Dungeon”

2022 December 10 to 2023 January 7

Utterly relaxed and at ease, the voluptuous women of Namio Harukawa’s drawings command the compositions and the puny men who share them. In various states of undress, their peace and confidence permeates the drawings unlike the pathetic and emasculated positions and expressions of the predominantly faceless, almost forgettable, male figures. Harukawa’s relentless devotion to his subject matter reveals a borderline obsession with female domination and male humiliation. He explores the relationship between women and men, mistresses and slaves, using faces as furniture, ropes and restraints, pain as pleasure.

The faceless nature of the male figures intertwines with Harukawa’s own anonymity. Little is known about the artist and his life with the name Namio as a combination of an anagram of Naomi, the novel by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, and Harukawa borrowed from Masumi Harukawa of Intentions of Murder. While there may be little information about him and his life, Harukawa’s works and known inspiration give insight to his twisted and beautiful mind.

The gallery would like to thank Benjamin Khashour and Justine Freeman for allowing us to exhibit works from their personal collection. The majority of the works have never been shown before, acquired from Harukawa’s studio after his passing.