Nobuyoshi Araki Zine

Art direction, editorial design, and typography for zine of Japanese photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki. 

Araki's divisive work is obscene and packed with innuendo. His undying fascination with bondage (traditionally known as Kinbaku-bi, “the beauty of tight binding”) explodes from his images and grabs a tight hold of his viewer. His female subjects are tantalizingly raw, tied intricately in compromising positions and hung exposed from ceilings. Sensual and powerful; he commands your attention.

I designed the experience of this zine to mimic the unnatural quality of the images themselves. Type is set right-ways, sideways, and upside down so the reader is forced to turn and flip the magazine as they read. The reader must work for the content enclosed and feel twists and turns with each page turn. For instance, a pull quote is set upside down on page 11 mirroring the model in the image on page 10. When the reader flips the spread upside down to read the pull quote, they will also get a right-ways view of the bound subject. Strikethrough was included as a header element to mimic rope binding the type. 

The colour red is a symbol of passion, desire, and excitement. It was selected as the feature colour for this zine for its ability to exude power, confidence, and sex.