Every Day, Just Another Nobuyoshi Araki at the Contemporary Art Gallery 2 photo by TJ Anzai Lie by Leica inatalletion detail A strange theatre where all the comedies, dramas, tragedies confound. Life and death poet- ry, twined from the "I". Aria in the key of A. 20 _ influx: Magazine October 1999. = « by TJ Anzai Scatterings from the theatre of Tokyo. A city so close to ruin, uncovered and exposed wildly like a slow explosion, viewed frame by reaching frame. Images stick to us with the magnetism of a copper coil, cusped on each end with a power to attract, to repel, to kill. All these blown-up pieces - the desolation of a still- breathing metropolis. A fragmented drama, rippling over decades . ",..I can’t concentrate. When I’m shooting the sky, I think about a woman. Even if I’m shooting a - woman, I think about yesterday’s woman. It’s terrible. You might describe my state of mind as ‘erratic’ or perhaps ‘wanton.’...I can only concentrate for a moment. Then I just get more and more restless." Nobuyoshi Araki x x * * * The cosmic interest of Araki, east and west - longi- tudes charged by the contentious nature of his photography. Erotica abounds: women suspended in bondage, intimate coitus, postured close-ups on the brink of vulgarity. Assuredly unforgettable and downright provoking, Nobuyoshi Araki’s photographic depictions of women strike to a tapering point of offense. We call upon exploitation interrogation for the motives of a man directing young women into a notorious tomorrow. He is almost 60 years old. People are for sure to be offended, and that right to be offended should not be denied. Perhaps some feel even pained by Araki’s pictures. Just pictures? The scandals that follow Araki, like a well oiled sensational mechanism, leave little more to say. The truth, however, is almost always just beyond the reach of condi- tioned responses. What of the consultation of nations? Shift culturally, and account for perspective. How incredible! The women in the photographs voluntarily work with Araki, proposing their own ideas for the imagery. In Japan, Araki is a superstar. Meeting him is a special moment in a person’s life, a photography session even more incredi- ble. According to Araki dignifiers, it is a free and liberating experience for women in a land where the historic rigidity of a male-dominated society has come undressed. His early rep- utation as a pornographer sinks like sediment into a mael- strom of gallery exhibitions. Yesterday’s censors face the unimaginable; -earlier this year, a major retrospective of Araki’s work occured at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo. And he’s not even trying to produce contemporary art. "Ultimately, my idea about shooting is, what the hell? Move, touch, talk, sweat, and embarrass myself. Expose myself and act like a fool. Hey, yeah, why not have a photo session? We could use the wives of the people who come to see the show. Ten a day, three days in a row. If too many come, we could do 30 a day. Next. You’re next." N.A. East and west. Two curators, Keith Wallace and Yoshiko Isshiki, collaborate for the arrival of Araki in Vancouver at the Contemporary Art Gallery. The entire perimeter of the space is regimentally wrapped in an overwhelming orbital display. Araki’s exhibit is comprised of almost 1000 photographic images where four recent titles are established on each side.of the room. All of the images are pinned or adhered to the walls without glass or frame. It is a strategy well-used in Araki exhibitions, which signals his contemipt for the idea of photographs as high art objects. This earthly alignment places him as an icon of pop- ularity, a cult figure, forging interest from fans and adorers who number in the galloping millions. Tokyo Nostalgy covers the entire north wall of the gallery and contains the most provacative imagery in the whole exhibition. In a brigade of vertical strips, over 900 small and intimate still images, each about the size of a novel, gather in. an assembled mixture of experiences in the first person. A narrative journal that unfolds vividly, mysterious- ly, cinematically, it spreads like fire over delicate tissue. The vertical alignment of photographic sequences is a direct visu- al reference to the world of film; a starting point and funda- mental influence in Araki’s career. Araki’s juxtopositions between single images now give way to include entire narrative sequences of action: the Every Day, Just Another Nobuyoshi Araki at the Contemporary Art Gallery Life by Letea A strange theatre where all the comedies, dramas, tragedies confound. Life and death poet- ry, twined from the "I". Aria in the key of A. 20 _ influx: Magazine October 1999 byTJ Anzai Scatterings fom the theatre of Tokyo. A city so close to ruin, uncovered and exposed wildly like a slow explosion, viewed frame by reaching frame. Images stick to us with the magnetism of a copper coil, cusped on each end witha power to attract, to repel, to Kil. Al these blown-up pieces - the desolation of astil- breathing metropolis. A fragmented drama, rippling over decades "1 can't concentrate. When I'm shooting the sky, 1 think about a woman. Even if I'm shooting a woman, T think about yesterday’s woman. I's terrible. You might describe my state of mind as ‘erratic’ or perhaps ‘wanton... can only concentrate for a moment. Then I just get more and more restless.” ‘Nobuyoshi Araki ‘The cosmic interest of Araki, east and west -longi- tudes charged by the contentious nature of his photography. Erotica abounds: women suspended in bondage, intimate coitus, postured close-ups on the brink of vulgarity Assuredly unforgettable and downright provoking, ‘Nobuyoshi Arak’s photographic depictions of women strike toa tapering point of offense. ‘We call upon exploitation interrogation for the ‘motives of a man directing young women into a notorious tomorrow. He is almost 60 years old. People ae for sure to bee offended, and that right to be offended should not be denied. Pethaps some feel even pained by Arak’s pictures, Just pictures? The scandals that follow Arak, lke a well oiled sensational mechanism, leave litle more to say. The truth, however, is almost always just beyond the reach of condi- tioned responses. What of the consultation of nations? ‘Shift culturally, and account for perspective. How incredible! The women in the photographs voluntarily work with Araki, proposing their own ideas for the imagery. In Japan, Araki a superstar. Meeting him is a special moment in a person's life, a photography session even more incredi- ble. According to Araki dignifirs, itis a free and liberating experience for women in a land where the historic rigidity of ‘male-dominated society has come undressed. His early rep- ‘tation as a pornographer sinks like sediment into a macl- strom of gallery exhibitions. Yesterday's censors face the unimaginable; earlier this year, a major retrospective of Arak’s work occured atthe ‘Museum of Contemporary Artin Tokyo. ‘And he's not even trying to produce contemporary "Ulimately, my idea about shooting is, what the hell? Move, ouch talk, sweat, and embarrass myself. Expose ‘myself and act like a fool. Hey, yeah, why not have a photo session? We could use the wives of the people who come to see the show. Ten a day, three days in a row. If too many come, we could do 30 a day. Next. You're next." NA Bast and west. Two curators, Keith Wallace and Yoshiko Isshiki, collaborate for the arrival of Araki in Vancouver at the Contemporary Art Gallery “The entie perimeter of the space is regimentally wrapped in an overwhelming orbital display. Arak’s exhibit is comprised of almost 1000 photographic images where four recent titles are established on each side of the room, All of the images are pinned or adhered to the walls without glass ‘or frame. Iisa strategy well-sed in Araki exhibitions, which signals his contempt forthe idea of photographs as high art ‘objects. Ths earthly alignment places him as an icon of pop- ularity, @ cult figure forging interest from fans and adorers ‘who number in the galloping millions. Tokyo Nostalgy covers the entie north wall of the gallery and contains the most provacative imagery in th whole exhibition. In a brigade of vertical strips, over 900 small and intimate stil images, each about the size of novel, father in an assembled mixture of experiences in the first person. A narrative journal that unfolds vividly, mysterious ly, cinematcaly, it spreads like fire over delicate tissue. The vertical alignment of photographic sequences i a direct visu al reference to the world of film; a starting point and funda- ‘mental influence in Araki's career. ‘Araki’ juxtopositions between single images now sive way to include entire narrative sequences of action: the