Japanese, b. 1940
Works
Biography
Nobuyoshi Araki is arguably the most widely recognized and controversial Japanese photographer active today. Born in Tokyo, where he continues to live and work, Araki rapidly attained celebrity status through his prolific and provocative output, which includes a diverse offering of photobooks, films, publications and exhibitions. As he embarks upon his eighth decade in 2020, his work continues to intrigue and amuse audiences across the world.
Araki studied photography and film at Chiba University, before embarking on a career as a commercial photographer for the Japanese advertising agency Dentsu. It was during this period that he began to receive attention for his photographs of local children, who lived in a run-down apartment block close to Araki’s home. In 1964, this series, entitled Sachin, was awarded the Taiyo Prize. Increasingly frustrated with the limitations of his corporate job, and piqued by the groundswell of creative activity occurring in reaction to the Provoke photography movement, Araki began to self-publish his first photobooks, which he mailed out to friends, art critics and people selected at random from the public phone book.
Araki developed an autobiographical, confessional mode of photography, which he terms ‘I-Photography’ (shi-shashin), in homage to the ‘I-novel’ (shi-shōsetsu) movement which dominated the Japanese literary landscape during the early 20th century. Chronicling every aspect of his own life, as well as exposing details from those of his friends, Araki’s ever-present camera occupies an ambivalent position, at once relatable and shocking. Documenting his honeymoon alongside dinner menus, his wife’s battles with cancer with the changing seasons of his hometown, Araki’s photography holds nothing sacred but delights in experiencing each facet of his life.
In many of his signature compositions, Araki juxtaposes ikebana flower arrangements and kinbaku bondage performances, appropriating conventions taken from Japan’s aesthetic history to sensationalist effect. Araki’s mastery of dramatic - and specifically erotic - tension creates unique and challenging works of contrast. Amongst the first artists to flaunt Japan’s obscenity prohibitions against showing pubic hair, Araki has refused to give in to public consternation or even interventions staged by the police.
Araki received the annual award of the Photographic Society of Japan in 1990, which was followed by the domestic photography award at the Higashikawa International Photo Festival in 1991, and the Mainichi Art Award in 2012. He has published more than 500 photobooks to date, and his work has been widely exhibited internationally, including major retrospectives at the Museum of Sex, New York, and the Musée Guimet, Paris. His work is included in the permanent collections of international institutions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and Tate Modern, London.
Exhibitions
AIPAD | The Photography Show
Park Avenue Armory, New York City23 - 27 Apr 2025Read moreMIA Foto Fair
Milan, 20 - 23 March19 - 23 Mar 2025Read moreOutside Inside
10 Portland Road 15 Jul - 20 Sep 2024Our summer exhibition will celebrate the relationship between photography and botanical life. From garden scenes to floral compositions, this show will bring together works from across the medium’s history. Highlights...Read moreOKASHI
10 Portland Road 13 Apr - 30 Jun 2024The Michael Hoppen Gallery is delighted to present a kaleidoscope of works crossing centuries, genre, and media, to reveal a different interpretation of Japan – neither a delicate vision of...Read morePARIS PHOTO 2023
GRAND PALAIS ÉPHÉMÈRE9 - 12 Nov 2023Michael Hoppen Gallery is delighted to share a preview of our Paris Photo presentation. The fair opens at the Grand Palais Éphémère in the grounds of the Champ-de-Mars on Wednesday...Read morePhoto London
Somerset House • Stand W0210 - 14 May 2023Michael Hoppen is pleased to return to the 8th edition of Photo London with an exciting selection of works by iconic contemporary artists as well as newly-released works.Read moreArt Genève 2023
Palexpo • Stand B4326 - 29 Jan 2023Michael Hoppen Gallery is delighted to return to Art Genève this year where we will showcase works by Sarah Moon, Richard Learoyd, Ori Gersht, Fergus Greer, and Tiina Itkonen amongst...Read moreFrieze Masters 2022
Regent's Park • Stand A0812 - 16 Oct 2022At Frieze Masters 2022, we are delighted to be exhibiting key works by members of the iconic generation of Japanese photographers who rose to prominence during the post-war period. The...Read moreMasterpiece London 2022
The Royal Hospital Chelsea • Stand 61130 Jun - 6 Jul 2022We are delighted to be participating in Masterpiece London 2022 and will be presenting a selection of contemporary works, some of which have never been shown before, alongside important historic...Read moreParis Photo 2021
Grand Palais Éphémère • Stand D2410 - 14 Nov 2021We are absolutely delighted to be returning to Paris Photo 2021 after our forced absence from art fairs - but especially Paris Photo which we have participated in for the...Read morePHOTO LONDON 2021
Somerset House • STAND C18 - 12 Sep 2021Dear Friends, We are very excited to be exhibiting at Photo London again, opening at Somerset House on Wednesday 8 September. You will find us at stand C1 on the...Read morePhoto London 2020
Online Fair7 - 18 Oct 2020Michael Hoppen Gallery is delighted to be participating in the 2020 edition of Photo London and we would love to invite you to join us at our virtual booth. We...Read moreART GENÈVE 2020
Palexpo • Stand B4929 Jan - 2 Feb 2020Michael Hoppen Gallery will be presenting some of our most iconic and important artists for our third engagement at Art Genève . We believe that photography has changed dramatically over...Read moreParis Photo 2019
Grand Palais • STAND C97 - 10 Nov 2019Michael Hoppen Gallery will be showing a solo booth of Tim Walker at this years Paris PhotoRead moreAIPAD, NEW YORK
BOOTH 6034 Apr - 7 Mar 2019BOOTH 603 Exhibited Artists: Nobuyoshi Araki Peter Beard Guy Bourdin Siân Davey Eamonn Doyle Masahisa Fukase Fergus Greer Chiero (Count Louis Hamon) Eikoh Hosoe Ishiuchi Miyako Sarah Moon Daido Moriyama...Read moreART GENÈVE 2019
Palexpo • BOOTH B3931 Jan - 3 Feb 2019A preview of what Michael Hoppen Gallery will be taking toArt Geneva, SwitzerlandRead morePHOTO LONDON 2018
SOMERSET HOUSE17 - 20 May 2018A brief look at what Michael Hoppen Gallery will be presenting at Somerset HouseRead moreAIPAD 2017
Booth 51230 Mar - 2 Apr 2017An assortment of works from the collection that MHG will be taking to this years Aipad art fair in New York.Read moreTHE ARMORY SHOW
BOOTH 4162 - 5 Mar 2017An assortment of works from the collection that MHG will be taking to this years Armory art fair in New York.Read moreNew Contemporary
Group Exhibition7 - 28 Feb 2017A group exhibition of new contemporary photography that Michael Hoppen Gallery now offersRead morePAD 2016
Booth A183 - 9 Oct 2016Explore a selection of the works Michael Hoppen Gallery will be taking to PAD, London, 2016Read morePHOTO LONDON 2016
SOMERSET HOUSE • STAND B819 - 22 May 2016Michael Hoppen Gallery returns to Photo London with a wide selection of works including a mighty collection of Hungarian works.Read moreMENAGERIE
Ground Floor Gallery Exhibition25 Feb - 7 Mar 2016We have curated a selection of beautiful images from the collection. All works are to be hung on the ground floor and will be available to see until the end of February 2016.Read moreZONA MACO 2016
Art Fair, Mexico3 - 7 Feb 2016A preview of the works that Michael Hoppen Gallery will be bringing to Zona Maco, Mexico.Read moreNobuyoshi Araki
Infamous, Controversial, Beautiful2 May - 8 Jun 2013A solo show os Araki's work, contains nudity. One of the masters of contemporary Japanese photographyRead more
News
Press
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Ten Things to See at Masterpiece
Paul Carey-Kent, Fad Magazine, July 2, 2022 -
Ten Unmissable Highlights From Paris Photo 2021
Sarah Moroz, AnOther Mag, November 12, 2021 -
Photo London: 5 images to buy at Michael Hoppen
L'OEIL DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE, May 18, 2017 -
The curious case of octopuses in antique Japanese porn
Ben Cobb, AnOther, September 28, 2015 -
"tying-up is synonymous for making love" araki on the art of bondage
Dean Kissick, i-D magazine online, May 23, 2014 -
Nobuyoshi Araki at Michael Hoppen Contemporary, London
Opening Ceremony, May 13, 2013 -
Is Nobuyoshi Araki's photography art or porn?
Alex Moshakis, The Guardian, May 8, 2013 -
Nobuyoshi Araki
AnOther, May 2, 2013 -
Power Play
Dazed Digital, May 2, 2013 -
Araki bound: Contemporary Japanese erotica in Chelsea
FT, How to spend it, May 2, 2013 -
Nobuyoshi Araki
Wall Street International magazine, May 2, 2013 -
Nobuyoshi Araki explores the beauty of Japanese bondage and flower arranging
JESSICA KLINGELFUSS, Wallpaper*, May 2, 2013 -
Nobuyoshi Araki @ Michael Hoppen Gallery
Ozarts, May 1, 2013 -
REVIEW: NOBUYOSHI ARAKI AT MICHAEL HOPPEN GALLERY
Lewis Bush, Disphotic, May 1, 2013 -
Nobuyoshi Araki
TimeOut London, April 22, 2013
Enquire
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