For the Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki, the camera was an extension of his body, something used to capture all the minute details of his life. This retrospective at the Musée Guimet presents 400 beautiful and intimate images, some featuring Araki’s wife, Yoko, as well as scenes from the photographer’s daily life, at home or on the metro. Though Araki is more popularly known for his impressive photos of ‘kinbaku’, a style of Japanese bondage featuring nude women suspended from the ceiling with cords and ropes, that erotic tone suffuses his other photographs too, notably in the tightly-framed shots of flowers, subtly reminiscent of bodies and sex. The comprehensive exhibition also includes the photographer’s archives and books, as well as a reconstruction of his studio, granting visitors a rare chance to rediscover the life of one of photography’s unique talents.
TRANSLATION: MARIA THOMAS