Jun ARAO

Jun ARAO<Self Portrait at Robinson Station>

Jun ARAO (1938-2002) started his career as a commercial cameraman to take artworks and portraits of artist. However, once he saw Paris, his longed-for city, he was captured by the charm of the place and set his mind to become a freelance. His objects were people in a bar, houses on the back alleys, an old man taking a nap, workmen on a break, and children playing in the park.
Those photos are all simple and casual, snaps of the ordinary moments of common people and streets. However, in the frames, there are mingle of various expressions and gestures of citizens living in a city and also of the houses and rooms where many people had lived in the past many years, of the animals leading tough lives surrounded by human-beings, that convey the depth of Paris. There are sometimes the figure of Arao himself in the frames, an artist who always had been am outsider. That not only guides the viewers but talks to them the ancient story of the city.
This is the first retrospective show in Kobe after the artist passed away and introduces photos of 70s Paris. It is our pleasure if you come and enjoy the photos, which were captured “by his unique use of palm”, as Ryohei KOISO wrote about ARAO’s works.


【Selected solo Exhibitions】
1985Windows, Walls, Streets in Paris, Sunstore photography salon, Osaka
1991Ootori Ran sullhouette, Kai Osaka, Hankyu Department Store, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Fuji Photo salon
1992Je t'aime Back streets in Paris, Tokyo, Osaka, Canon Salon
1997Back Streets no longer in Paris, Tokyo, Osaka, Canon Salon
1997Paris, time passes, Gallery Nii Hotel Nikko Osaka
1998Kyoto, Espace Japon, Paris
1999Remains of a dream, Gallery Nii Hotel Nikko Osaka
2000'KYOTO' YEDO, Toulouse
2001From Paris to Kyoto, Gallery Nii Tokyo
2002Photo Rhythem, Gallery Nii Tokyo, Osaka
【Artist Information】
Jun ARAO

SessionFri. Sep 9, 2011 - Fri. Sep 30, 2011 Closed on Sundays and Mondays
Hours11:00-13:00 / 14:00-19:00 [-17:00 on the last day]
PlaceGallery Yamaki Fine Art
Venue3-9-5-2F Motomachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0022
ContactTEL: 078-391-1666  FAX : 078-391-1667  MAIL: info@gyfa.co.jp
AccessOne minute walk from Motomachi Station, West exit (JR/ Hanshin Line)
ChargeFree