nobuyoshi araki

Nobuyoshi Araki, polaroid from the series paradise Nobuyoshi Araki, Self-portrait

During his illness, Araki never stopped photographing, working both from his studio, which he considers his paradise, and from his hospital room in Tokyo. “There’s a lot of sad news in the world,” he says. “Sadness should remain small so we can see the little sparks of happiness shining through.”

His latest works, exhibited at Artspace AM, express his deep connection to death and, more importantly, highlight how his life and art are inseparable.

 

“Sky of Silver Halide” at Artspace AM, Tokyo, 2023

Nobuyoshi Araki’s Paradise series features Polaroids of objects and flowers taken under natural light in his studio. He also photographed the sky from his balcony every morning and evening, using a Pentax 6×7 camera and monochrome negative film. All these works were created shortly before his hospitalization. He…