ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Catherine Grout Analyzes Japanese Photography as Distinct Process

publication · 2026-04-23

Catherine Grout's analysis of five Japanese photographers—Nobuyoshi Araki, Noritoshi Hirakawa, Hitoshi Nomura, Toshio Shibata, and Hiroshi Sugimoto—argues that the photographic process in Japan embodies distinct cultural specificities. Grout redefines the concept of the 'photographic' as separate from the image, drawing on objective data, non-human vision, the relationship to the world, and the shifting of the private/public dichotomy. The work was published in artpress in January 1996.

Key facts

  • Catherine Grout analyzes five Japanese photographers: Nobuyoshi Araki, Noritoshi Hirakawa, Hitoshi Nomura, Toshio Shibata, and Hiroshi Sugimoto.
  • Grout argues that the photographic process in Japan has specific cultural characteristics.
  • She distinguishes the 'photographic' from the image.
  • Key concepts include objective data, non-human vision, relation to the world, and shifting private/public opposition.
  • The analysis was published in artpress in January 1996.

Entities

Artists

  • Nobuyoshi Araki
  • Noritoshi Hirakawa
  • Hitoshi Nomura
  • Toshio Shibata
  • Hiroshi Sugimoto

Institutions

  • artpress

Locations

  • Japan

Sources