Flower

About Nobuyoshi Araki

Master of sensual provocationNobuyoshi Araki is a living legend in the world of photography. He has been active for decades, changing the way we see the world through his work. His consistent desire to push the boundaries of photography as… Read more

Visit artist page follow artist

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Master of sensual provocation

Nobuyoshi Araki is a living legend in the world of photography. He has been active for decades, changing the way we see the world through his work. His consistent desire to push the boundaries of photography as a medium and produce unique viewing experiences has positioned him as both a pioneer and revolutionary. In his diverse repertoire, the polaroids assume a special position. Every day, the artist captures images with his Polaroid 600, categorizes the resulting works, and decides which belong together in an exhibition. Among his most famous series are Flower, ARAKIMONO, KINBAKU, KIRISHIN and PARADISE – all of which have received significant international attention.

His polaroids address themes of love, sexuality, and attraction – but he stages them within the context of an endless metaphysical struggle with the omnipresent morality of existence. He juxtaposes fertility and transience using strong colors and even stronger contrast. Araki is, by definition, a driving force in his field.
His productivity, which does not diminish (even in his 80s), becomes symbolic throughout the images that chronicle evolution and decline.

Throughout the Flower series, Araki showcases the symbolic beauty of flowers in a lush and immersive manner. In a competition of colors, the blossoms wrestle with each other, striving to defeat the darkness of non-existence. Beauty and death are caught in an intimate embrace. Closely related to the Flower works are the pieces in the PARADISE series, which first appeared in 2015. The view widens as individual flowers become lush bouquets complimented by figures such as Geisha dolls or dinosaurs. The artificial and natural blend to form a paradisiacal dream, which evokes a powerful atmosphere of both time and transience.   

Sensuality and eroticism, which are commonly associated with the name Araki, come to life in the photographs of ARAKIMONO; The artist spreads her legs while gazing confidently at the camera, lending a sense of power to her revealing pose. Within the images, Araki uses bondage techniques to tie up female bodies and heighten the pervasive erotic ambiance. The symbolism behind the bondage knots intertwines multiple themes into one powerful piece of artistry.

The KIRISHIN series, originally published in book form, also relies on proven motifs; Images are sliced diagonally and rearranged to create entirely new images. The title of the series functions as a play on words. Japanese terms for cut, feeling, truth, and photography – the guiding principles of Araki's visual art – are compounded. He considers himself a provocateur, using the term Photo Devil to describe his act of transgressing the boundaries of (so-called) good taste.

The scope of Nobuyoshi Araki's portfolio is impressive. More than 500 books contain his work and exhibitions across the globe proudly display his images. Even though his thematic diversity has increased over the years, he has always remained true to his style – a style characterized by proximity and intimacy.

The Polaroids from the Flower, ARAKIMONO, KINBAKU, KIRISHIN and PARADISE series, all of which are hand-signed, come directly from the legendary artist's studio.


Stephan Reisner

VITA

1940	born in Tokyo, Japan
1963	graduated from the Department of Engineering at Chiba University; majoring in photography and film-making
1974	co-founder of the Workshop Photography School and Magazine, Tokyo
1976	opened Nobuyoshi Araki School, Tokyo
1988	published Aat ROOM Magazine
1990	recipient, Shashin-no-kai Prize from the Photographic Society of Japan
2008	awarded Austrian Decoration of Honor for Science and Arts
	Lives and works in Tokyo, Japan

Exhibitions

2021	Araki, Albertina Modern, Vienna, Austria Nobuyoshi Araki: Polaroids, Taka Ishii Gallery, Hong Kong, China Nobuyoshi Araki: Arakiss, Ostlicht Gallery, Vienna, Austria
2020	ARAKI Grand Diary of a Photo Maniac, Michael Hoppen Gallery, London, UK
2019	Gekko Shashin, art space AM, Tokyo, Japan Flower Rondeau, SHOP Taka Ishii Gallery, Hong Kong, China ARAKI TELLER SHISEI, art space AM, Tokyo, Japan LIFE BY FILM by Nobuyoshi ARAKI, Leica Gallery Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand SHIMEN AIKA, art space AM, Tokyo, Japan Effetto Araki, Santa Maria Della Scala, Siena, Italy SUMMER HAPPINESS, art space AM, Tokyo, Japan Art Bridge798 Art District, Beijing, China
2018	Impossible Love –Vintage Photogragphs, C/O Berlin, Berlin, Germany KATA-ME, Rat Hole Gallery, Tokyo, Japan Qing Se Hua Fu, Light Society, Beijing, China HANA JINSEI (FLOWER -LIFE), Over The Influence, Los Angeles, USA The Passport to the Paraside, art space AM, Tokyo, Japan The Incomplete Araki: Sex, Life, and Death, Museum of Sex, New York, USA
2017	Nobuyoshi Araki-I, Photography, Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, Kagawa, Japan 27th Month of Photography November 2017 Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia ARAKI. TOKYO, Pinakothek der Moderne, Sammlung Moderne Kunst, Munich, Germany ARAKI, Fondazione Bisazza, Vicenza, Italy Sentimental Journey 1971-2017-, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan Photo-Crazy A, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan Tombeau Tokyo Nobuyoshi Araki × Guimet Museum, CHANEL NEXUS HALL, Tokyo, Japan Kayuen, Epson Imaging Gallery epSITE, Tokyo, Japan Photographoary: Photo-Mad Old Man A Turning 77 on 5.25.17, Taka Ishii Gallery Photography / Film, Tokyo, Japan THE SOLO EXHIBITION OF NOBUYOSHI ARAKI, Over The Influence Gallery, Hong Kong, China KYOTOGRAPHIE, A Desktop Love, Ryosokuin, Kenninji Temple, Kyoto, Japan Tokyo Life, KIDO Press, Tokyo, Japan Lastby Leica, art space AM, Tokyo, Japan
2016	ARAKI AMORE, Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy ARAMAME, Morioka Shoten Ginza, Tokyo, Japan A Desktop Paradise, Taka Ishii Gallery Photography Paris, Paris, France ARAKI, Musée national des arts asiatiques Guimet, Paris, France
2015	Men Naked Face by Araki, OmotesandoHills SPACE O, Tokyo, Japan ARAKI Ojo Shashu-Photography for the After Life: Alluring Hell, Foam Photography Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2014	Ai No Tabi, Niigata City Art Museum, Niigata, Japan Love on the Left Eye, Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo, Japan The Photography Book of Rebirth in the Pure Land /Face, Skyscape, Road, Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, Aichi, Japan
2013	Tokyo Blues 1977, Taka Ishii Gallery Photography / Film, Tokyo, Japan
2012	Nobuyoshi Araki Photobook Exhibition: Arākī, IZU PHOTO MUSEUM, Shizuoka, Japan
2011	Shakyō RōjinNikki, Taka Ishii Gallery Photography / Film, Tokyo, Japan
2010	Nobuyoshi Araki "Koki No Shashin: Photographs of a seventy years old, Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2009	Araki, Anton Kern Gallery, New York, USA
2008	Nobuyoshi Araki: Photographs, Zonca & Zonca, Milan, Italy Nobuyoshi Araki - Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto, CAMK, Kumamoto, Japan Nobuyoshi Araki - Silent Wishes, Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria KINBAKU, Jablonka Galerie, Cologne, Germany
2007	Nobuyoshi Araki: Self. Life. Death, Kulturhuset Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
2006	Nobuyoshi Araki - Diaries, Leica Galerie Wien Westlicht, Vienna, Austria Araki - Á la vie la mort, Museé de la photographie de Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium Noboyoshi Araki - Polaroids, Galleria Cà di Frà, Milan, Italy Nobuyoshi Araki Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
2005	Art Basel Miami Beach 2005 Art Basel Miami Beach
	BLUMENSTÜCK Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen
	Boost in the Shell // De Bond Aeroplastics, Brüssel
	Die sinnliche Linie Museum der Moderne Salzburg
	Corpus 05 Brügge Musea Brugge, Brügge
	fotografia 2005 fotografia Roma
	Coleccion Helga de Alvear Museo Extremeno e Iberoamericano, Badajoz
	Der fotografierte Mensch Neues Museum Nürnberg
	Europe in Art National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bukarest
	Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg Fundacion Juan March, Madrid
	CANTOS Casino Luxembourg, Luxemburg
2004	COLD PLAY Fotomuseum Winterthur
	15 Jahre Deichtorhallen Deichtorhallen, Hamburg
	In Bed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, Toyota Aichi
	The Flower as Image Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek
	Triennale Kleinplastik Fellbach 2004 Triennale Kleinplastik Fellbach
	10 Year Anniversary Exhibition Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo
	Happiness - A Survival Guide for Art and Life Mori Art Museum, Tokyo
	Nobuyoshi Araki Zonca & Zonca, Mailand
	Colección Sandretto Re Rebaudengo IVAM Valencia
	Strange Days Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
	La vita delle forme Galleria Civica Modena
	Female Turbulence Aeroplastics, Brüssel
	Works Seldom Seen at ShanghART ShanghART Gallery, Shanghai
2003	Fables de l´identité Jeu de Paume, Paris
	Phantom der Lust Neue Galerie, Graz
	update #6 Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg
	short cuts Israel Museum, Jerusalem
2002	Keine Kleinigkeit Kunsthalle Basel
	Trottoirs - Sidewalks Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris
	Open City Hirshhorn Museum, Washington
	Desire Galleria d´Arte Moderna, Bologna
	Retrospektive a-d Miami, Miami; Galerie Kamel Mennour, Paris; Moscow House of Photography, Moskau; Shine Gallery, London
2001	Kunsthalle Kiel; Ikon Gallery, London; Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo; Jablonka Galerie, Köln; Galerie Almine Rech, Paris
	Contemporary Photography from Japan De Pont, Tilburg
	Desire Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Kraichtal
2000	Centre National de la Photographie, Paris; Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden; Haus am Waldsee, Berlin; Ars Futura, Zürich; Asprey Jacques, London; Gallerie Kamel Mennour, Paris
1999	Kunsthaus Bregenz; Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo: "Sentimental Photography, Sentimental Life"; Egg Gallery, Tokyo; Art & Public, Genf
1998	Private ficcions Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona
	Deichtorhallen, Hamburg; De Appel, Amsterdam: ""Life Is A Bitch"; Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo: "COSMOSCO"
1996	Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt; Kunsthalle Basel; Jablonka Galerie, Köln
1995	Fondation Cartier, Paris; Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg
1994	Luhring Augustine, New York
1990	Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt
1981	Veröffentlichung "Photograph novel" Fotosammlung und Essay
1972	Performance: "Super Photo Concert"
	(Selection)