“Photography is lying, and I am a
liar by nature.”
Nobuyoshi Araki
The Spanish, 20th
Century master, Pablo Picasso said “Art is a
lie that makes us realize truth.” The controversial and
prolific Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki is an embodiment of this sentiment through his perpetual focus on everyday life. As he has said “Photography is a secondary thing, because
actual objects are true and photography is a lie and a merely a copy of
reality.”
This reality seems to suggest that
life is the meaning of life with sexuality being its underlying motive which
shocks western audiences but has the ring of truth for the Japanese. As the Tate’s
curator of photography, Simon Baker,
told the Guardian newspaper "It's about the double standard associated
with Japanese culture. It's an
incredibly polite, formal society on the surface, [but it] has this hidden
underside of sexuality. Araki very effectively works on this relationship."
With over 450 books to his credit,
one of his early publications Sentimental
Journey is a photo essay of his 1971 honeymoon
with his wife, Yoko, about which Araki has
said “As to my honeymoon, I started taking photographs right away, beginning
with our train ride, and then having sex. That is what everyone does on a
honeymoon, so it is nothing special.”
This matter of fact approach along
with an ability to relate to his models, often intimately, has allowed Araki to
create a body of work that underscores his credo "life
is itself photography."
A camera is Araki’s constant
companion although he allows others to take the shot and from time to time he
is a part of the picture. But claims the credit for himself, which rationalizes
saying “the camera has the authorship, not
the photographer. And I own the camera!
Hong Kong’s Aishonanzuka
Gallery is currently exhibiting a selection of Araki’s photographs. Theater of Love is on show until
the 17th of January, although the gallery is closed from the 25th
of December to the 6th of January.
No comments:
Post a Comment