Araki and Hatakeyama: Dual Mythologies of Tokyo Photography

Nobuyoshi Araki and Naoya Hatakeyama are presented as dominant figures in contemporary Japanese photography, each embodying a distinct mythology of Tokyo. While both are seen in the West as representing the soul and diversity of Japan, their work goes beyond this perception to express personal mythologies unique to each artist. The article, published in artpress in January 2002, explores how their photographic practices construct individual narratives of the city.