Does he want to end as a photographer, or as an artist?

The current solo exhibition, "POLART 6000," features Araki's past works alongside new pieces created specifically for this exhibition.

It is likely that this is the first and last time such a large volume of Polaroid works will be seen together. And looking at them like this, one clearly feels something that emerges through accumulation. It is something that definitively transcends "photography."

This reveals Araki not just as a photographer, but as an artist in a broader sense. Of course, a photographer is also an artist, but photographers are constantly aware of the difference between the two. If there is a boundary between them, the ability to transcend it is a significant issue.

Does he want to end as a photographer, or does he want to end as an artist? I believe this exhibition presents a body of work where the answer to that question has emerged in a very compelling form.

Polaroids as Personal Expression Beyond Photography

While numerous Polaroid exhibitions have been held by various photographers, this exhibition presents a distinctly different impression from typical Polaroid shows. I consider this to be Araki's ultimate weapon at this stage, and it being Polaroids was somewhat surprising to me. However, upon confronting the works, it's also true that Araki's personal side as an artist became more vividly apparent.

A photo book was also released to coincide with the exhibition, but viewing it in print is entirely different from experiencing it in the gallery. In a book, one sees individual photographs, but entering this space reveals the answer to what he named "POLART" – an expression that goes beyond photography.

Chance and inevitability all link together to create a single world.

Naturally, each individual photograph that constitutes the whole also exhibits unique experimentation.

For instance, Polaroids are inherently known for showing the result immediately after shooting, yet here, a sense of temporal delay is deliberately introduced. Or, paint is applied to Polaroids where no image is captured. However, while some are arranged by color tone rather than subject, and others seem to be classified by theme, there are also those that remain entirely unclassified, showcasing further playfulness in their exhibition.
In other words, the individual and the whole, chance and inevitability, all link together to form a single world.



Nobuyoshi Araki Solo Exhibition "POLART 6000"
On display until August 20, 2009 (Thursday)
RAT HOLE GALLERY
12:00-20:00 (Closed Mondays)

RAT HOLE GALLERY & BOOKS
5-5-3-B1 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-6419-3581
http://www.ratholegallery.com