“I’ve decided that I must do something different every time. If I don't keep transforming, I’ll just become a master. It's no good being a maestro. I always want to work as if I’m a novice.” – Nobuyoshi Araki
Following the great success of our first exhibition of Nobuyoshi Araki’s sumi ink portraits, Hamiltons presents Hanaguruma II. The exhibition comprises of twenty unique and largely unseen sumi ink drawings displayed alongside a selection of important polaroid photographs that explore the centrality of the female figure in the artist’s practice.
Nobuyoshi Araki is one of Japan’s most renowned photographers and contemporary artists. Araki’s work is often controversial, but his artistic genius is undeniable; every image reveals extreme technical mastery which influences many creative fields, including photography, film, painting, and in this case, ink drawing.
Araki’s inspiration for these expressive ink drawings derives from his regular jaunts in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district at a bar named Hanaguruma, which translates to ‘Flower Carriage’. The artist spent many nights at Hanaguruma, where he would sketch portraits, photograph and drink into the late hours. The tiny bar, which closed its doors in 2015, consisted of a simple counter and two seats, and was frequented by an array of visual artists and performers from Nan Goldin, Robert Frank to Bjork and Lady Gaga. Those who visited were encouraged to make their mark on the walls with signatures, drawings, and Polaroids.
Nobuyoshi Araki, Hanaguruma 39, Shinjuku, c.2005 © Nobuyoshi Araki
