Arakimentary (DVD)

The documentary feature 'Arakimentari' explores the work of popular and controversial Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki in a style designed to match Araki's own. Araki's fame and the debate around his photography derive mostly from his work with nudes, which blur the lines normally established between art, erotica, and pornography. The photographs have often been credited with reversing the Japanese ban on the visual representation of pubic hair, and Araki has been seen by his supporters as one of the artistic champions of free speech and social criticism in Japan. Some of Araki's celebrity fans -- Bjork, Takeshi Kitano, Richard Kern and others -- are interviewed to explain the appeal and importance of his photography. Liberally peppered with images of the photography and presented in a manner designed to imitate the combination of titillation and estrangement Araki's work engenders, 'Arakimentari' goes beyond the biographical documentary to the realm of artistic portrait.

Audio commentary from director Travis Klose
Additional footage
Photo gallery
Trailer
Film notes
Region 0