This publication accompanies the photographer’s first individual show outside Japan and his very first exhibition of retrospective character. Nobuyoshi Araki’s work conveys itself through a variety of channels – institutions of contemporary (photographic) art represent but one of them. His multilayered and playful way of dealing with publishing media is also reflected in the artist’s numerous publications: here, too, categories, genres and contexts are changed at will. Rendering the somewhat crafty game that has brought Araki the fame of a pop star transparent to the “distant observer” is by no means facilitated by the photographer’s own rejection of any method of approach: Hardly any of his photographs are dated; they keep reappearing in varied contexts, thus creating not a continuous history but an ever condensing accumulation of images.

The catalogue documents works between 1971 and 1991. The very thorough biography points out references between data of the artist’s life and his projects; his most important monographs are listed up to 1992.