Nobuyoshi Araki is a prolific Japanese photographer known for both intimate and erotic photographs and banal, diaristic images. Born in Tokyo in 1940, Araki studied photography and film at Chiba University before working in advertising for several years. In 1972, he began dedicating himself to fine art photography full time and has since published over 400 photobooks. Araki’s works often depict women bound in the Japanese bondage style of Kinbaku, drawing upon the tradition of Japanese Shunga. Despite confrontations with the police for breaking obscenity laws, Araki has avoided jail time and remained a popular and influential artist. In addition to personal work, he has also produced films and photographed musicians Björk and Lady Gaga. Araki’s works are included in numerous important public collections, including the Tate Modern and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He has received many awards, including the Japan Inter-Design Forum Grand Prix, the Society of Photography Award, and the Sun Prize.