busy streets silenced in stills, movement of vehicles, busi- ness men who look on curiously, the plantlife and vegeta- tion, the private and public lives of couples, men and women, the artist’s cat Chiro in various modes of rest and play, delicious food, people eating, bathing... It is a major piece of work, felt through personal embarassments, come- dies, and heartfelt discoveries. Moving between worlds, both typical and incredulous, Tokyo Nostalgy is a documen- tary of beings, where temperature currents of varying degrees are blown by the inhaling exhaling force of erotic love and life’s passions. Tokyo Nostalgy in it’s complete form, could lap the entire room. The over 900 individual shots are less than half of the amount of pictures exhibited at Araki’s retrospective. In it’s complete form, Tokyo Nostalgy contains 2212 pho- tographs. Across from Tokyo Nostalgy, Araki’s philosophy of happiness is showcased in Life by Leica. Smiling faces adorned in something like black and white snapshots. It adopts a banal approach, uplifted by expressions of joy, yet somehow remaining characteristically silent - lonesome. Araki here is like an amateur, shooting without thinking, only mindful of happiness. Portraits span the classes: work- ers, students, ordinary citizens, to prominent entertainers, all in acknowledgement across the distance of this wall. And a view of houses silhouetted against the bright sky of clouds. During the retrospective, Araki kept adding photographs to Life by Leica. Exhibited, the piece stayed in motion. The happiness is suggested as a continu- Ous process, even with the finest make of cameras. * * « * * A strange theatre where all the comedies, dramas, tragedies confound. Life and death poetry, twined from the "I". Aria in the key of A. Picture book from the heart, beating with velocity, like every day, your last. After all this Tokyo living, weird and wild and incredibly true - now, every day, just another. * * * * * Yoshiko Isshiki is Araki’s global represen- tative. Her input into the medley include Exotic Women in Colour and Flowers. With the weight of colours, these are two dynamic works that step out of narrative documentary into a brighter bolder world. (The new millenium?). Hand-applied gestures of paint across Exotic - Women in Colour loosely cover the immobilized landscape of women’s tied up bodies. It is the pigmented negation of black and white, life and death, with six large colour Xerox prints, each measuring 55” by 40”. Photographs, no longer just life events, are transformed as a surface for future play - a world to dye on. Telegram, with a post-script of colour. A large display of Flowers decorates the west wall to capture the fleeting moments of a life in love; from those who remain, to those who go. Sometimes too, there is no room to choose. Araki’s motif of withered flowers is mixed in with florals that bloom. Extended and inscribed by the rich, dense colours of RPP prints, these Flowers carry collected states of being. Like a rite in passing, it deeply saturates the experience of life, even as it slips away. A symbolic offering and touching tribute to Araki’s love, Yoko. Happiness...yes, finally. "I don’t think there is any happiness without some sadness mixed in. If there is no unhappiness, no death or sadness, I think that there is something weak about the hap- piness. If you go for a ‘philosophy of happiness, you’re still wet behind the ears, just getting started in life. Life means ‘not finishing.’ And what this means is ‘living.’ " N.A. All of Nobuyoshi Araki’s quotes are from an inter- view conducted by Tetsuro Ishida, curator for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, published in the exhibition catalogue accompanying Nobuyoshi Araki’s retrospective. photos by Kim Clarke Installation views influx: Magazine October 1999 21 busy streets silenced in stills, movement of vehicles, busi rness men who look on curiously, the plantlfe and vegeta- tion, the private and public lives of couples, men and women, the artist's cat Chiro in various modes of ret and play, delicious food, people eating, bathing... tis a major piece of work, felt through personal embarassments, come- dies, and heartfelt discoveries. Moving between worlds, both typical and incredulous, Tokyo Nostalgyis a documen- tary of beings, where temperature currents of varying degrees are blown by the inhaling exhaling force of erotic love and life's passions. Tokyo Nosalg in i's complete form, could lap the entire room. The over 900 individual shots ar less than half ofthe amount of pictures exhibited at Arak’s retrospective. In it’s complete form, Tokyo Nostalgy contains 2212 pho- tographs. ‘Across from Tokyo Nostlgy, Arak's philosophy of hhappiness is showcased in Life by Leica. Smiling faces adorned in something like black and white snapshots. It adopts a banal approach, uplifted by expressions of joy, yet somehow remaining characteristcaly silent ~ lonesome. ‘Araki here is like an amateur, shooting without thinking, nly mindful of happiness. Portraits span the classes: work ers, students, ordinary citizens, to prominent entertainers, allin acknowledgement across the distance ofthis wal. And inst the bright sky of During the retrospective, Araki kept adding photographs t0 Life by Leica, Exhibited, the piece stayed in motion. The happiness is suggested as a continu- ‘ous process, even with the finest make of cameras. A strange theatre where all the comedies, dramas, tragedies confound. Life and death poetry, twined from the "D Aria in the key of . Picture book from the heart, beating with velocity, like every day, your last. Afterall this Tokyo living, weird ‘and wild and incredibly true - now, every day, just another ‘Yoshiko Ishik is Arak’ global represen- tative, Her input into the medley include Exorc Women in Colour ana Flowers. With the weight of colours, these are two dynamic works that step out of narrative documentary into a brighter bolder world. (The new millenium?) Hand-applied gestures of paint across Exotic ‘Women in Colow loosely cover the immobilized landscape of women's ted up bodies. It is the pigmented negation of black and whit, life and death, with six large colour Xerox prints, each measuring 55” by 40”. Photographs, no longer just ie events, are transformed as a surface for future play =a world to dye on. Telegram, with a postscript of colour. A large display of Flowers decorates the west wall to capture the fleting moments of a life in love; from those who remain, to those who go. Sometimes too, there is no room to choose ‘Araki’s motif of withered flowers is mixed in with florals that bloom. Extended and inscribed by the rich, dense colours of RPP prints, these Flowers carry collected states of being. Like a rite in passing, it deeply saturates the experience of lf, even as it slips away. A symbolic offering and touching tribute to Araki’ love, Yoko. Happiness...9e finally. "don't think theres any happiness without some sadness mixed in. If there is no unhappiness, no death or sadness, I think that there is something weak about the hap- piness. Ifyou go fora ‘philosophy of happiness; you're still Wet behind the ears, just geting started in life. Life means ‘not finishing.” And what this means is “living.” NA. All of Nobuyoshi Araki’s quotes are from an inter- view conducted by Tetsuro Ishida, curator for the Museum ‘of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, published in the exhibition ‘catalogue accompanying Nobuyoshi Araki’ retrospective Installation views influx: Magazine October 1999" 2