Taiji Arita
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
commercial photographer. He exhibited non-commercial nudes and other work.
(now part of Kitakyūshū), Japan. After briefly studying law at Chuo University
, he opted to instead pursue a career as a photographer and studied at Tokyo Sogo College of Photography under Yasuhiro Ishimoto
.
Arita photographed from 1964 until 1991. From 1964 to 1966 he worked in the photography division of Nippon Center of Design, Inc; from then to 1977 he freelanced for numerous publishers and the advertising industry. In 1975 he published “First Born”, a series of images of his first wife and their child.
In 1977 Arita left Tokyo for Ontario
. He continued freelance photography, for Canadian and Japanese advertising and publishing industries.
In 1980 he returned to Tokyo and opened Arita Studio, specializing in photography for advertising and publishing industries and cinematography for television commercials. He married Masako Koiso in 1984.
In 1988 Arita published The Forest of the Naked, a book of 71 paintings. But for Arita, art was not just a product made as a result of painting, sculpting or photographing, but rather a way of living. Despite having attained much professional acclaim while living in Japan, he became disillusioned. He yearned for a freer existence in which he could create for the sheer joy of creating and live within the elements of nature from which he derived aesthetic sustenance and inspiration. In the foreword to The Forest of the Naked he writes, “the forest calms me, stimulates me, releases me….”
In 1992 Arita left Tokyo for southern California. He worked as contributing photographer and videographer to Japanese publishers and television broadcasting companies, and began spending more time on creating fine art (paintings and sculptures).
In 2000, Arita moved north to the redwood forest of the Mendocino coast to begin a life devoted solely to creation of art with his second wife Masako. He designed and built a house and studio in Fort Bragg. Together they created Arita's final body of work, titled “Fruit of the Redwoods”, which used redwood salvaged from the remnants of trees over 1000 years old. This project became a point of reference for several North Coasts’ many woodworkers, many who studied under James Krenov’s Fine Wood Working Program.
Arita’s work both before and after this relocation shows a great and effortless mastery of whatever medium he chose to express himself in. His work was always fresh since he was fearless in investigating new media. Sometimes, it appears as if he were channeling a greater consciousness, one whose only purpose in existence was aesthetic.
Arita died in Fort Bragg, California on July 17, 2011 at 70.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
commercial photographer. He exhibited non-commercial nudes and other work.
Life and career
Taiji Arita was born on January 31, 1941 in KokuraKokura
is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding, via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound Sanyo Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR Kyūshū and an important part of the...
(now part of Kitakyūshū), Japan. After briefly studying law at Chuo University
Chuo University
Chuo University is a one of the Japanese leading universities. Thus it is competitive in several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university has been ranked 27th, 25th, 34th during 2008-2010 respectively in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai.-Research...
, he opted to instead pursue a career as a photographer and studied at Tokyo Sogo College of Photography under Yasuhiro Ishimoto
Yasuhiro Ishimoto
Ishimoto was born on 14 June 1921 in San Francisco, California, where his parents were farmers. In 1924, the family left the United States and returned to his parents' hometown within present-day Tosa, in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan...
.
Arita photographed from 1964 until 1991. From 1964 to 1966 he worked in the photography division of Nippon Center of Design, Inc; from then to 1977 he freelanced for numerous publishers and the advertising industry. In 1975 he published “First Born”, a series of images of his first wife and their child.
In 1977 Arita left Tokyo for Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He continued freelance photography, for Canadian and Japanese advertising and publishing industries.
In 1980 he returned to Tokyo and opened Arita Studio, specializing in photography for advertising and publishing industries and cinematography for television commercials. He married Masako Koiso in 1984.
In 1988 Arita published The Forest of the Naked, a book of 71 paintings. But for Arita, art was not just a product made as a result of painting, sculpting or photographing, but rather a way of living. Despite having attained much professional acclaim while living in Japan, he became disillusioned. He yearned for a freer existence in which he could create for the sheer joy of creating and live within the elements of nature from which he derived aesthetic sustenance and inspiration. In the foreword to The Forest of the Naked he writes, “the forest calms me, stimulates me, releases me….”
In 1992 Arita left Tokyo for southern California. He worked as contributing photographer and videographer to Japanese publishers and television broadcasting companies, and began spending more time on creating fine art (paintings and sculptures).
In 2000, Arita moved north to the redwood forest of the Mendocino coast to begin a life devoted solely to creation of art with his second wife Masako. He designed and built a house and studio in Fort Bragg. Together they created Arita's final body of work, titled “Fruit of the Redwoods”, which used redwood salvaged from the remnants of trees over 1000 years old. This project became a point of reference for several North Coasts’ many woodworkers, many who studied under James Krenov’s Fine Wood Working Program.
Arita’s work both before and after this relocation shows a great and effortless mastery of whatever medium he chose to express himself in. His work was always fresh since he was fearless in investigating new media. Sometimes, it appears as if he were channeling a greater consciousness, one whose only purpose in existence was aesthetic.
Arita died in Fort Bragg, California on July 17, 2011 at 70.
Publications showing Arita's works
- “First Born”, serialized in Camera MainichiCamera Mainichiis a Japanese monthly magazine of photography that started in June 1954 and ceased publication in April 1985.As in most mass-market photography magazines, much of the editorial content of Camera Mainichi was devoted to news and reviews of cameras, lenses, and other equipment...
, 1976. - Rasha no mori: Arita Taiji, 1981–1987 / The Forest of the Naked: Taiji Arita, 1981–1987. Tokyo: Libro Port, 1988. ISBN 4-8457-0321-1. A book of paintings.
- Nihon no shashin, 1970 jidai: Tōketsu sareta "toki" no kioku . Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, 1991.
- Nihon nūdo meisakushū . Camera Mainichi bessatsu. Tokyo: Mainichi Shinbunsha, 1982. Pp. 246–47.
Solo exhibitions
- "First Born" . Nikon SalonNikon Salonis the name given to exhibition spaces and activities run by Nikon in Japan.The Ginza Nikon Salon opened in January 1968 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nippon Kōgaku . This was later augmented by the Shinjuku Nikon Salon and the Osaka Nikon Salon...
, Tokyo. - Retrospective
- "Self Portrait" (Hyakka ryōran: Nihon no ie)
- 1982 “The Photographs of Taiji Arita”, Photo Gallery International, Tokyo (photographs)
- 1982 “18 Paintings”, Tokyo Designer’s Space, Tokyo (paintings)
- 1983 “Self-Portrait”, Polaroid Gallery, Tokyo (photographs)
- 1983 “Extravaganza: Japanese Bldgs”, Asahi Pentax Forum, Tokyo (photographs)
- 1983 “Street Fight”, Tokyo Designer’s Space, Tokyo (paintings & photographs)
- 1988 “Forest of the Naked”, Seed Hall, Tokyo Japan (paintings)
- 1989 “Red Earth”, Gallery Face, Tokyo Japan (paintings)
- 2000 “Forest of the Naked 2”, The Loft Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (paintings)
- 2007 “Ovalism”, North Coast Artists Gallery, Fort Bragg, CA (paintings)
- 2008 “Prime”, Art3g, Fort Bragg, CA (paintings & sculpture)
- 2009 “Fruit of the Redwoods” (with Masako Arita), art3g, Fort Bragg, CA (reliefs)
Selected group exhibitions
- 1978 “Japan: A self portrait”, International Center for Photography, New York (photographs)
- 1986 “Works in 20x24 Polaroid”, Seed Hall, Tokyo (photographs)
- 2007 “One” art3g, Fort Bragg, CA (painting)
- 2007 “The Power of Six”, Odd Fellows Hall, Mendocino, CA (sculpture)
- 2007 “Found Objects”, North Coast Artists Gallery, Fort Bragg, CA (sculpture)
- 2008 “Green Bones” (with Harry Albrecht), art3g, Fort Bragg, CA (paintings)
- 2010 “Out of the Woods”, NorthCoast Artist Gallery, Fort Bragg CA (reliefs)
- 2010 “Pas de Deux”, Odd Fellows Hall, Mendocino CA (paintings)
- 2010 “New American Art”, Odd Fellows Hall, Mendocino CA (paintings)
- 2011 “Work & Love”, Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino CA (paintings & reliefs)
Permanent collections
- 68 photographs from the “First Born” series, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of PhotographyTokyo Metropolitan Museum of PhotographyThe is an art museum focused on photography. The museum was founded by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and is located in Meguro-ku, a short walk from Ebisu station in southwest Tokyo...