, professionally known by the

mononym A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. A mononym may be the person's only name, given to them at birth. This was routine in most ancient societies, and remains ...

, is a Japanese

photographer A photographer (the Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who uses a camera to make photographs. Duties and types of photograp ...

and

contemporary artist Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art i ...

. 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 Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

on May 25, 1940. He studied film and photography at

Chiba University is a national university in the city of Chiba, Chiba, Chiba, Japan. It offers doctoral degrees in education as part of a coalition with Tokyo Gakugei University, Saitama University, and Yokohama National University. The university was formed in ...

from 1959, receiving a degree in 1963. He worked at the advertising agency

Dentsu , simply known as , stylized as dentsu, is a Japanese international advertising and public relations joint stock company headquartered in Tokyo. Dentsu is the largest advertising agency in Japan and the fifth largest advertising agency network in ...

, where, in 1968, he met his future wife, the essayist .

Art career

Araki is one of the most prolific Japanese artists. 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 A diary is a written or audiovisual memorable record, with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digita ...

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 Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...

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

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning, at the start of the Sun path. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon. Terminology Although the S ...

anime series ''

Brain Powerd is a Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise. It was directed and written by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino and features mecha designs by Mamoru Nagano, character designs by Mutsumi Inomata, and music by Yoko Kanno. The 26 ...

''. In 1981, Araki directed , a ''

roman porno refers in Japan to movies produced by independent studios that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. Many pink films would be an ...

'' film, for the studio

Nikkatsu is a Japanese film studio located in Bunkyō. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Motion Pictures". Shareholders are Nippon Television Holdings (35%) and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (28.4%). ...

. The film was a disappointment to Araki's fans and to fans of the

pink film refers in Japan to movies produced by independent studios that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. Many pink films would be a ...

genre. The

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

ic musician

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

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 A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

album''

Telegram Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas pi ...

''. More recently, he has photographed pop singer

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

. In 2004, an American director, Travis Klose, released a documentary about Araki called '' Arakimentari'', which discusses the artist's lifestyle and work. Araki was diagnosed with

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...

in 2008; he underwent successful surgery to remove the tumor. 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 Bottega Veneta S.r.l () is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Milan, Italy. Its product lines include ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, accessories, jewellery and fragrances. Bottega Veneta is headquartered in Milan, Italy, with its main at ...

, Araki photographed

Saskia de Brauw Saskia de Brauw (born 19 April 1981) is a Dutch artist and model. She began modeling at sixteen but quit after one year to attend art school in Amsterdam. Returning to modeling at the age of 29, she quickly became a successful fashion model. Not ...

and Sung Jin Park in

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 Sex is the biological trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing organism produces male or female gametes. During sexual reproduction, a male and a female gamete fuse to form a zygote, which develops into an offspring that inheri ...

. 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." In 2017, when she requested that he stop republishing or exhibiting some photographs of her, Araki wrote to Kaori, warning that she had no rights. She states that the experience led to psychological trauma and ill health. Kaori stated that the

Me Too movement #MeToo is a social movement and Consciousness raising, awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment and rape culture, in which women publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The phrase "Me Too" was init ...

had encouraged her to speak out. The accusations have raised questions about the power dynamics between a photographer and his subject. In order to raise awareness of Kaori's claims, the activist group Angry Asian Girls Association protested the opening of an exhibition of photographs by Araki at

C/O Berlin C/O Berlin is a private exhibition space for photography and visual media in Berlin. It is located in Amerika Haus Berlin by Zoologischer Garten station, Charlottenburg, where it has more than 2,500 square metres of space. C/O Berlin presents wor ...

December 2018.

Awards

*1964: Taiyō Prize for photo reportage, Japan. *1964: Sun Prize, Japan. *1990: Shashin-no-kai Prize from the

Photographic Society of Japan The is an organization set up in December 1952 to advance photography in Japan. Its membership of about 1,400 includes both amateur and professional photographers, as well as researchers, critics, and people in the photographic industry. Its addr ...

*1991: 7th

Higashikawa Prize The has been awarded to photographers by the "Phototown" of Higashikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan since 1985. The Overseas and Domestic Photographer prizes are of 500,000 yen and the New Photographer and Special prizes are of 300,000 yen. The work of t ...

. *1994: Japan Inter-Design Forum Grand Prix. *2008:

Austrian Decoration for Science and Art The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Austria, Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian Decoration for Science a ...

. *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

*''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. *''Senchimentaru na Tabi.'' = Sentimental Journey. **''Senchimentaru na Tabi.'' Tokyo: self-published, 1971. Title and text in Japanese. 100 black and white photographs. **''Sentimental Journy.'' Tokyo: Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2016. . Facsimile edition. With an introduction in Japanese and English by Araki. Housed in a slipcase with a postcard. *''Tokyo Lucky Hole.'' **''Tokyo Lucky Hole 1983–1985 Shinjuku Kabuki-cho district.'' Tokyo: Ohta Shuppan, 1990. 272 pages. **''Tokyo Lucky Hole.'' Cologne:

Taschen Taschen is a luxury art book publisher founded in 1980 by Benedikt Taschen in Cologne, Germany. As of January 2017, Taschen is co-managed by Benedikt Taschen and his eldest daughter, Marlene Taschen. History The company began as Tasch ...

. With texts by Akira Suei and Akihito Yasumi translated into English, French and German. 704 pages. 1997, ; 2005, ; 2015, . *''Shokuji'' = The Banquet. Tokyo: Magazine House, 1993. 32 black and white and 28 colour photographs. With a text by Araki. *''Self, Life, Death.'' New York:

Phaidon Phaidon is an ancient Greek name that may refer to: *Phaedo of Elis, philosopher *''Phaedo'', one of Plato's dialogues named after Phaedo of Elis who appears in it *Phaidon Press, a publisher *'' Phaidon Design Classics'', a 2006 British three volum ...

, 2005. Edited by Akiko Miki. . *''Photography for the Afterlife.'' Tokyo: Heibonsha, 2014. . With an essay by Mario Perniola, "Araki's Hell". *''Tokyo.'' Munich:

Pinakothek der Moderne The Pinakothek der Moderne (, '' Pinakothek of the Modern'') is a modern art museum, situated in central Munich's '' Kunstareal''. The building Designed by German architect Stephan Braunfels, the Pinakothek der Moderne was inaugurated in Se ...

; Only Photography, 2017. 28 diptychs. With essays. Edition of 300 copies. * A 560-page retrospective survey of Araki's body of work selected by the artist.
''Monstrous Paradise''
'. ''Personal Structures Art Projects #11''. ''European Cultural Centre, 2018''. .

Films

Films by Araki

* (1981) * (1994) *''Flower Rondo 3'' (2002) – documentary short *''Flower Rondo 4'': ''Kakyoku'' (2003) – documentary short *''Painting Flowers in the Sky Over the Balcony'' (2004) – documentary *''Fuyuharu'' (2004) – documentary short

Films about Araki

*''A Live DVD Araki Overseas 1997 – 2000'' (2002) – documentary *'' Arakimentari'' (2004) – documentary directed by Travis Klose and produced by Troopers Films (Regis Trigano and

Dylan Verrechia Dylan Verrechia (born March 9, 1976, in Paris) is a Barthélemois award-winning film director, auteur, screenwriter, director of photography, and producer, with Italian, Breton, Sephardic, and Dane origins. He is best known for his Tijuana tril ...

Films based on Araki's life

* ''Tokyo Biyori'' (1997) – a biographical drama based on the life of Yoko Araki, the wife of Nobuyoshi Araki. Written by Nobuyoshi Araki and Ryo Iwamatsu, and directed by

Naoto Takenaka is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. He is also known as the voice of Samuel L. ...

. The Araki couple were portrayed by Naoto Takenaka and

Miho Nakayama was a Japanese singer and actress. She made her debut in the 1985 drama ''Maido Osawagase Shimasu'', where her performance led to instant stardom. Nakayama released her debut single, " C", shortly after, and finished the year with her film deb ...

. Araki makes a cameo as a train conductor.

Exhibitions

* 2005: ''Araki,'' Anton Kern Gallery, New York City.Araki"
Anton Kern Gallery. Accessed 3 March 2018. * 2006: ''Implosion (Ten Year Anniversary),'' Anton Kern Gallery, New York City. * 2008: ''Friends and Family,'' Anton Kern Gallery, New York City. * 2009: ''Araki,'' Anton Kern Gallery, New York City. *2010: ''Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera Since 1870,''

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is a modern art, modern and contemporary art museum and nonprofit organization located in San Francisco, California. SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th-century art ...

, San Francisco * 2015: ''The Pistils Waltz,'' Gallery 51, Antwerp. * 2018: ''The Incomplete Araki,''

Museum of Sex The Museum of Sex, also known as MoSex, is a sex museum located at 233 Fifth Avenue at the corner of East 27th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It opened on October 5, 2002. History Founder Daniel Gluck wanted to start a museum dedicated t ...

, 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 The Israel Museum (, ''Muze'on Yisrael'', ) is an Art museum, art and archaeology museum in Jerusalem. It was established in 1965 as Israel's largest and foremost cultural institution, and one of the world's leading Encyclopedic museum, encyclopa ...

, Jerusalem *

Tate Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the UK ...

, London *

, San Francisco, CA *

Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago is a contemporary art art gallery, museum near Water Tower Place in the Near North Side, Chicago, Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The museum, which was established in 1967, is on ...

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

* The

National Science and Media Museum The National Science and Media Museum (formerly The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, 1983–2006 and then the National Media Museum, 2006–2017), located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, is part of the national Science Museum G ...

, Bradford, UK * The

Stedelijk Museum The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (; Municipal Museum Amsterdam), colloquially known as the Stedelijk, is a museum for modern art, contemporary art, and design located in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

, Amsterdam *

Museum für Moderne Kunst The Museum für Moderne Kunst (''Museum of Modern Art''), or short MMK, in Frankfurt, was founded in 1981 and opened to the public 6 June 1991. The museum was designed by the Viennese architect Hans Hollein. It is part of Frankfurt's Museumsuf ...

, Frankfurt *

Goetz Collection The Goetz Collection (Sammlung Goetz) is a private collection of contemporary art in Munich, Germany. It opened in 1992. The collection is owned and continually being enlarged by the former gallery dealer Ingvild Goetz, who presents the collectio ...

, Munich, Germany

Notes

References

External links

*
"Nobuyoshi Araki: Intimate photography: Tokyo, nostalgia and sex"
by C. B. Liddell at ''

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'' (23 November 2006) {{DEFAULTSORT:Araki, Nobuyoshi 1940 births BDSM photographers Chiba University alumni Japanese contemporary artists Japanese erotic photographers Living people Nude photographers Artists from Tokyo Recipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art Japanese street photographers