Tokyo Love: Spring Fever 1994

by Nobuyoshi Araki, Nan Goldin

From the "In 1994 Goldin and Araki decided to collaborate on a project about adolescents in Tokyo. They set out to capture the joys, thrills, and anxieties of youth. The two photographers, each of them in their very own way obsessed by love and eroticism, complemented one another perfectly. Together, they forged a panoramic vision of love and sexuality in all its varieties. Nobuyoshi Araki took pictures of young girls in his studio capturing both their budding awareness of the female body and its seductiveness and, on the other hand, their insecurity and anxiety. His portraits precisely pinpoint the frightening and exhilarating transition from girl to woman. Nan Goldin explored Tokyo's queer underground-gay boys, transvestites, fetishists, and all those who defy society's preordained definitions of sexuality. She celebrates their courage and beauty, their fight for their right to love. Araki and Goldin rejoice in the exalted erotic perplexities of adolescence, its pleasures, hopes, and despair."

Genres: Photography, Art, Japan, Fashion

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Nobuyoshi Araki is a Japanese photographer and contemporary artist. He is also known by the nickname Arākī.

Araki studied photography during his college years and then went to work at the advertising agency Dentsu, where he met his future wife, the essayist Yōko Araki. After they were married, Araki published a book of pictures of his wife taken during their honeymoon titled Sentimental Journey. She later died in 1990. Pictures taken during her last days were published in a book titled Winter Journey.

Having published over 350 books (and still more every year) Araki is considered one of the most prolific artists alive or dead in Japan and around the world. Many of his photographs are erotic; some have been called pornographic. Some of his most popular photography books are Sentimental Journey, Tokyo Lucky Hole, and Shino. He also contributed photography to the Sunrise anime series Brain Powerd.

The Icelandic musician Björk is an admirer of Araki's work, and served as one of his models. At her request he photographed the cover and inner sleeve pages of her 1997 remix album, Telegram.

Araki's life and work were the subject of Travis Klose's 2005 documentary film Arakimentari.

Reviews

[Keiralika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now it’s a combination of Araki and Nan Goldin, and to be fair, I really love how Goldin portrayed things. The ordinary seems touching, it’s like flying between the average line, but by far we can see how things are going on on the ups and downs. My presence longing for the moment that’s simply forgotten but yet captured in the hand of the most powerful photographer. This is the love in Tokyo that Goldin found, and the garment from Araki exists throughout the shots. I couldn’t complain; it’s the beauty of habitual. 

[Mai Mohamed · Rating 2 out of 5]

اتعرفت ع المصور ده من فيلم وثائقي شوفته عنه أول الشهر .. هو مصور ف الغالب بورتريه بس كله +١٨ 😂 قالوا ف الفيلم كمان أن هو يعتبر اكتر فنان طبع كتب لانه طبع حوالي ٤٠٠ كتاب .. كل لما يصور حاجات يجمعها ف كتاب .. ف لقيت كام واحد منهم اونلاين ف قولت اشوف كده بس يمكن الكتاب هنا ضعيف شويه أو الصور مش interesting اوي يعني

[Eli]

Everyone be beautiful

[Aaron the Pink Donut · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid addition to the mans work. Interesting collaboration between him and Nan Goldin in mid 90's Tokyo. Their styles and eye complement each other in interesting ways. Far more subtle addition to either photographers body of work. Worth checking out if your a fan of either.