Nobuyoshi Araki, (b. 1940, Tokyo, Japan) is one of Japan’s most celebrated artists, known for his prolific and provocative works that span photobooks, films, publications, and exhibitions. He is particularly known for his depictions of nude women tied with ropes in the traditional Japanese “kinbaku” style, which merges elements of packing and flower arrangement. His autobiographical style, termed ‘I-Photography’ (shi-shashin), chronicles every aspect of his life and those around him, blending relatable and shocking elements that often result in dramatic and erotic compositions. He expanded his photography by incorporating painting, adding gestural-abstract, colorful traces that serve as aesthetic metaphors for female attraction and eroticism.

Araki studied photography and film at Chiba University and began his career at the advertising agency Dentsu. His early work, particularly the series ‘Sachin’, which captured local children in a run-down apartment block, won him the Taiyo Prize in 1964. Dissatisfied with corporate constraints and inspired by the Provoke photography movement, he began self-publishing his photobooks. Araki has received numerous awards, including the Photographic Society of Japan’s annual award in 1990 and the Mainichi Art Award in 2012. With over 500 photobooks published and exhibitions worldwide, his work is part of the permanent collections of major institutions such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and Tate Modern in London.