Photographer Nobuyoshi Araki, widely known by his nickname Araki with "ra" and "ki" sound stretched out, has turned 80 this year. To commemorate this milestone, he has published a collection of essays with photos titled "Araki Nobuyoshi, Shashin ni Ikiru" from Seigensha Art Publishing, Inc. It is an autobiographical book in which he looks back on his own activities, as well as his interactions with many people, accompanied by his photos.
The 232-page book was originally released last year on the Pia app, however, some additional text was added and it was rereleased this summer. In the essays, Araki lightheartedly recalls meeting various artists and cultural figures. Among them are his photographer colleagues, such as Daido Moriyama, as well as actress Kirin Kiki and others who became subjects in his photographs. He even writes about meeting avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama.
The book also contains photos from his other photo books, including "Sentimental na Tabi" (Sentimental journey) in 1971, which features photos from his honeymoon with his late wife, Yoko, as well as records from magazines and exhibitions. His own detailed records of his 80-year life is a valuable archival resource on its own.
The book begins with 31 new photos by Araki titled "Sanju itoshi" (Beloved age 80). The photos of flowers and dolls are impressive because you can almost see the scent of life and death that fills the photos.
According to art coordinator Mayumi Uchida, who interviewed him for the book and edited it, Araki curated the "Sanju itoshi" section by telling her, "I'm going to organize the photos." He said he decided on the title because "I used to always think life was a bit funny, but I came to feel that life at 80 is lovely."
Uchida said, "Mr. Araki was feeling a little depressed because his exhibitions and birthday party were canceled because of the coronavirus, but he was incredibly delighted that his book was published."
Known for "I photos" that suggest an intimate relationship between him and his subjects, Araki shocked the press with his contributions to photo journals in the 1970s and 80s. He spends an entire chapter of his book about editor Akira Suei, with whom he worked during those years. Araki was fascinated with the bad-guy image in Suei's magazines, which were filled with indecent images. One of the magazines was Shashin Jidai, which was launched in 1981 and published three photo series by Araki. The magazine was a big hit and 140,000 copies of its first issue were printed.
Suei, who was also a big fan of Araki, looked back on his first meeting with the photographer and said: "He was wearing sunglasses, a dotera padded coat and a pair of sandals on bare feet. He definitely had an odd appearance, but we got on well with together."
Back then, they would get dressed up in suits once a month to take photos of women working in the red-light district in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.
"Mr. Araki said you need to be not only pure but also vulgar, and nude photos are not pornography but an art style with wit," Suei said. "There's no other photographer whose life and photography stick together so well."
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