Part 7: The True Brilliance of Photographer Nobuyoshi Araki

From "Flowers and Yamolinsky." © NOBUYOSHI ARAKI

Finally Realizing Araki's Genius

In the previous installment, I discussed Araki, whose exhibition is currently being held at Rat Hole Gallery. To be honest, it was only very recently that I truly began to understand his photography.

Araki has an immense body of work and photographs with a wide range of concepts. However, he is generally most recognized for his exploration of eros. Furthermore, when combined with his own persona, he emerges as an artist whose unique strength is prominently showcased. I admit that for a long time, my own perception of Araki was largely defined by "intense eros."

However, when I recently visited his exhibition "Tokyo Jinsei" at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku, I saw something entirely different. The exhibition documents his work from 1962 to the present, presenting an Araki stripped of his overt eroticism. It was through this experience that I first felt the true depth of his brilliance.

It was a brilliance that cannot be replicated. It goes without saying, he is a genius. And in a way, I realized that until now, I had been viewing his work through the lens of what could be called his "Arakism" – his unique persona.

From "Kinkō Shashin Kan." © NOBUYOSHI ARAKI

A Realistic Romanticism

The photographs of Araki that I rediscovered were deeply romantic. A romanticism rooted in reality.

I believe this is what constitutes a truly great photograph. While I sense romanticism in Daido Moriyama's work as well, it's perhaps a romanticism born from a sense of eroticism in decay. In contrast, Araki's work possesses a gentler, more heartwarming quality. In this sense, the two artists are polar opposites. Yet, despite their opposition, there's an intriguing connection where their distinct perspectives might converge at a single point. Honestly, I hadn't grasped this until I saw "Tokyo Jinsei."

I am grateful, albeit belatedly, to have come to this realization now.

■ Nobuyoshi Araki Exhibition

Dates: November 22, 2006 (Wed) – December 27, 2006 (Wed)
Hours: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Closed Mondays)
Venue: RAT HOLE GALLERY
B1F, HYSTERIC GLAMOUR Aoyama, 5-5-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku
TEL: 03-6419-3581

Content: The exhibition is comprised of four series: "Flowers and Yamolinsky," "LOVE," "Kinkō Shashin Kan," and "Arakinema."
Concurrently, the latest series of "Arakinema" (the cinematic version of Araki's photography), "Kinkō Shain," created with "Kinkō Shashin Kan" as its motif, will be exhibited for the first time.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the photobook "LOVE by Leica" and T-shirts featuring original drawings will be available for purchase.

RAT HALE GALLERY: http://www.ratholegallery.com
HYSTERIC GLAMOUR Official: http://www.hystericglamour.jp
Bueno! Books: http://www.buenobooks.com