ART | Nobuyoshi Araki Solo Exhibition 'Tokyo Blues 1977'
LOUNGE / ART
May 8, 2015

ART | Nobuyoshi Araki Solo Exhibition 'Tokyo Blues 1977'


ART│Rare vintage prints showcasing Araki's work in the 1970s


Nobuyoshi Araki Exhibition: "Tokyo Blues 1977"


An exhibition titled "Tokyo Blues 1977," featuring vintage prints by photographer Nobuyoshi Araki (Araki Nobuyoshi) taken in the 1970s, will be held from Saturday, August 24, to Saturday, September 21, at Taka Ishii Gallery Photography/Film in Roppongi, Minato-ku.



Text by YANAKA Tomomi




Cherishing and "copying" women's "performances"

Nobuyoshi Araki has consistently produced deeply personal photographic works, characterized by intense relationships with his subjects. Since the 1970s, he has presented works that explore the fictional potential within photography, including "Nobuyoshi Araki's False Reportage" (1980), which was accompanied by documentary-style text that deviated from facts, and "Nobuyoshi Araki's False Diary" (1980), where he manipulated the camera's date function to display incorrect shooting dates.


This exhibition introduces 26 pieces from "Tokyo Blues," held at Nikon Salon in 1977, which have now become vintage prints. These works are a "made-up" documentary about women Araki met from Kyushu at that time.

From their hometowns to Tokyo. Feeling a "blues" in the women's lives and backgrounds, Araki "copied" their "performances" with affection. Through these, we can witness precious works that tell the story of Araki's trajectory in the 1970s. To commemorate the exhibition, a photo book containing 43 works will also be published.

Araki in the 1970s stated: "Documentary, photography, cameras – they are all performances. Performance is truth, and it must be copied. Women, men, cities, everyone becomes a protagonist, performing and living. They are living their lives to the fullest through performance."


Tokyo Blues 02



Nobuyoshi Araki Exhibition: "Tokyo Blues 1977"
Exhibition Dates│Saturday, August 24 – Saturday, September 21 (Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Public Holidays)
Hours│11:00 – 19:00
Venue│Taka Ishii Gallery Photography/Film
5-17-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, AXIS Building 2F
Tel. 03-5575-5004

Photo Book: "Tokyo Blues 1977"
Specifications│H18.7 × W23.2 cm, softcover, 48 pages
Number of works included│43
Release Date│Scheduled for Saturday, August 24
Price│To be determined