Expressing Araki's Unique Philosophy of Life Through 'Destruction' and 'Rebirth'

Following the excitement of the major exhibition 'Ojosha-shu: Faces, Skies, Roads' held at the Toyota City Museum of Art in Aichi from April to June this year, Araki's ninth solo exhibition, 'Kirishin,' opens at Rat Hole Gallery, one of his key Tokyo venues.



The newly presented 'Kirishin' series is created by cutting exposed positive film in half, then reassembling and splicing the pieces to create new positives, from which the photographs are printed. These images, which reconstruct everyday scenes, cityscapes, female nudes, and flowers and dolls captured after Araki lost sight in his right eye late last year, reflect his current state of mind. The act of 'cutting' also imbues them with new discoveries and narratives.



This 'Kirishin' series follows earlier works such as 'Aisetsu,' created by cutting Polaroids in half and rejoining them, and 'Sagan no Koi,' where the right side of positive film was blacked out with marker. In 'Kirishin,' Araki's playfulness and humor are evident, alongside his unique philosophy of life expressed through the 'destruction' and 'rebirth' he enacts himself. 'Photography is living,' Araki states. His latest works offer viewers an encounter with a new realism, emanating from unexpected combinations of images.




Nobuyoshi Araki Exhibition 'Kirishin'

Dates | Friday, September 26th - Sunday, November 2nd

Hours | 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Venue | Rat Hole Gallery

5-5-3 Minami-Aoyama B1, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-6419-3581



Nobuyoshi Araki Photography Book 'Kirishin'

Release Date | Friday, September 26th

Publisher | Rat Hole Gallery