, professionally known by the mononym , is a Japanese photographer and contemporary artist. Known primarily for photography that blends eroticism and bondage in a fine art context, he has published over 500 books.

Early life and education

Araki was born in Tokyo on May 25, 1940. He studied film and photography at Chiba University from 1959, receiving a degree in 1963. Many of his photographs are erotic, straddling a line between art and pornography. Among his photography books are Sentimental Journey (1971), and Tokyo Lucky Hole (1990). Sentimental Journey "1972–1992" is a diary of life with his wife Yōko, who died of ovarian cancer in 1990. The first part of Sentimental Journey shows the couple embarking on married life—their honeymoon and sexual relations. Pictures taken during Yoko's last days were published in Winter Journey.

Parr and Badger include four of Araki's books in the first volume of their photobook history: , , Tokyo Lucky Hole, and .

Araki contributed photography to the Sunrise anime series Brain Powerd.

In 1981, Araki directed , a roman porno film, for the studio Nikkatsu. The film was a disappointment to Araki's fans and to fans of the pink film genre.

The Icelandic musician Björk is an admirer of Araki's work, and served as one of his models. At her request, he photographed the cover and inner sleeve pages of her 1997 remix albumTelegram. More recently, he has photographed pop singer Lady Gaga.

In 2010, Araki's cat, Chiro, died of old age.

In October 2013, Araki lost vision in his right eye due to a retinal artery obstruction. The 74-year-old artist used the experience as an inspiration to exhibit Love on the left eye, held on 21 June 2014 at Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo.

Commissioned by Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta, Araki photographed Saskia de Brauw and Sung Jin Park in Tokyo for the brand's spring/summer 2015 campaign.

For the European Cultural Centre Araki made in 2018 the limited special edition photo series : “Monstrous Paradise”, representing Araki’s feelings about life in Tokyo.

Controversy

Araki is known for his intimate access to models. When asked about this in 2011, he bragged that he gained access through sex.

In April 2018, Kaori, a model who posed for Araki from 2001 to 2016, wrote a blog post about her relationship with Araki in which she accused him of financial and artistic exploitation. Kaori stated that "she worked without a contract, was forced to take part in explicit shoots in front of strangers, was not regularly paid and that her nude images were often used without her consent."

Awards

  • 1964: Taiyō Prize for photo reportage, Japan.
  • 1990: Shashin-no-kai Prize from the Photographic Society of Japan
  • 1991: 7th Higashikawa Prize.
  • 1994: Japan Inter-Design Forum Grand Prix.
  • 2008: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art.
  • 2012: Top Prize at the 6th ANGO Awards.
  • 2012: 54th Mainichi Art Award.
  • 2017: Araki was shortlisted for the European Cultural Centre Art Award.

Publications

thumb|right|A small percentage of Araki's photobooks

  • Zerokkusu Shashincho 1–25 = Xeroxed Photo Album 1–25. A series of books self-produced using a photocopier, published from 1970 onwards, each in an edition of 70 copies.

Exhibitions

  • 2005: Araki, Anton Kern Gallery, New York City.
  • 2006: Implosion (Ten Year Anniversary), Anton Kern Gallery, New York City.
  • 2015: The Pistils Waltz, Gallery 51, Antwerp.
  • 2018: The Incomplete Araki, Museum of Sex, New York City
  • 2018: Nobuyoshi Araki: KATA-ME, Rat Hole Gallery
  • 2018: Nobuyoshi Araki: Monstrous Paradise, RuArts Gallery, Moscow
  • 2022: Nobuyoshi Araki: Hanaguruma, Hamiltons Gallery, London

Collections

Araki's work is held in the following permanent public collections:

  • Israel Museum, Jerusalem
  • Tate, London
  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • The National Science and Media Museum, Bradford, UK
  • The Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
  • Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt
  • Goetz Collection, Munich, Germany

Notes

References

  • "Nobuyoshi Araki: Intimate photography: Tokyo, nostalgia and sex" by C. B. Liddell at The Japan Times (23 November 2006)