Araki "Men: Naked Face"
Emily Ma
“Looks pretty awesome to see all in one book. It’s quite rare to see a book entirely made of male faces, male portraits, isn't it? For me, the attitude is more of surrealism rather than realism. I want to photograph everyone boldly. Attraction – be it eroticism, masculinity, popularity – is all about grabbing your attention. For this series, I decided to face any men, and give them the same white blank backdrop. And every single person has something shining. I strive to bring out that something in the moment.” – Nobuyoshi Araki
From 1997 to 2015, Araki captured portraits of over 210 male celebrities for Da Vinci magazine, often in rapid sessions lasting no more than a few minutes. Utilizing a neutral setting, black-and-white photography, and close up detailed poses, Araki flattens the nature of celebrity, treating each subject equally and removing some of the air of grandiosity one might expect. Through this repetitiveness, each subject’s features become more pronounced, lending a new view to an already famous face.