Nobuyoshi Araki (b. 1940) is a renowned Japanese photographer acclaimed for his provocative style that blurs the line between fine art and pornography.

With an oeuvre of over 450 photobooks, Araki's incredibly prolific output has simultaneously earned him both praise and notoriety, in Japan and internationally. 

Bold and audacious, the artist explores taboo topics, particularly BSDM, through an uninhibited, autobiographical lens. Thoroughly documenting the intricacies of his dalliances and adventures in Tokyo, Araki captures a spectrum of moments that range from mundane to explicit (and in some cases, illegal, according to Japan's obscenity laws). While Araki has photographed many erotic portraits, he also has photographed with equal enthusiasm his pet cat, toy lizards, and floral arrangements, in addition to his scenes of his Tokyo neighborhood. 

This untitled diptych features two color polaroids. The first of the pair, captures Araki's beloved cat, Chiro. The second features a nude reclining woman, sprawled across a tabletop.

Today, Araki's work is included in major international collections including the San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern (London), Centre Pompidou (Paris), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), and the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, to name a few. 

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"Untitled" (aka "CHIRO" "TABLETOP") 

c. 2000s

Two unique Polaroids

Signed by Araki in ink, verso

4.25"H 3.5"W (individual polaroid)

8"H 8"W (framed, each) 

Very good condition

Note: the two works are sold together.