Araki: Sentimental Journey, Winter Journey

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Yoko, 1971 (from “Sentimental Journey”)
© Nobuyoshi Araki

It was a few months ago that I first saw a series of Nobuyoshi Araki’s work that I fell in love with, and I keep going back to these images. Sentimental Journey (1971), the self published book, was highlighted in Arakimentari, a relatively recent documentary about the photographer. The original book contained over one hundred photographs of his honeymoon with his wife, Yoko. Later, in 1991 Araki published Sentimental Journey, Winter Journey. This book has two parts: ‘Sentimental Journey’ shows some photos of his honeymoon with wife Yoko, and 'Winter Journey’ is photo diary of Yoko’s final months before passing away in January 1990. The photographs are beautiful and sad and, for me, don’t feel at all the same as some of Araki’s other work. In other words, I like them a lot.