MARI SARAI
Contact : MARISARAI@mac.comBio : Japanese photographer and director Mari Sarai works for fashion and fine art. Sarai approaches subjects with energy and artistry resulting in timeless and captivating images. She is fearless in the pursuit of creating art with her camera. Sarai has worked in New York, London, and Tokyo. Sarai was born in Nara, Japan. She studied photography at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles. After beginning her career as a photojournalist in New York, Sarai moved back to Japan and transitioned to fashion photography. After 6 years fashion photographer's carrier in Tokyo, she relocated to London where she became a well-established fashion photographer, shooting for tons of editorials and fashion brands. She moved back to New York to seek her American dream. Her work appearing in likes of Interview Magazine, Document Journal and KANGOL, shooting likes of Adele, Scarlett Johanson, and in late Amy Winehouse. Sarai’s 1st book "Naked", a monograph of female nudes published in 2011, is the culmination of the subject of femininity and female sexuality, with Sarai’s provocative interpretation of female strength. In March 2017, Sarai released her 2nd book via Damiani Books, "Speak Easy", inspired by gender roles men and women play within society. By celebrating all notions of gender and sexuality, the previously defined terms fall away. Sarai’s 3rd book Delusion has just been released via publisher THOUSAND, inc in Tokyo Japan in May 2019. Sarai’s dream to have world class art director Fabien Baron made this book has come true. Delusion is focused on Sarai’s confusion, phobia, paranoia and fantasy. March 2021, Sarai has released her 4th book “ SEPT.2020 NYC”. She have spent “The month of September, 2020” in New York City. The world completely transformed under the state of emergency from COVID-19 in 2020. She has had the chance to capture moments of rebirth and rebuilding - of those who survived, and those who didn’t give up. This spirit and resilience has resonated in her heart and she will forever treasure, and will forever find herself inspired by. And Sarai has published her newest 5th book “ PINK SCHOOL” in Green Point Brooklyn NY, June 2022. She has started documenting her son’s elementary public school for 7 years because this neighborhood has its share of crime from several lurking pedophiles released from jail to stabbings in the park that led to a couple of deaths. I have started patrolling and documenting on the street to catch any criminals red-handed. But I never caught them. Looking through this personal project is a walk down memory lane.
Exhibitions
2010 NAKED, Gallery SPEAK FOR, Tokyo
2011 NAKED, Blackall Studios, London
2017 SPEAK EASY , BookMarc Tokyo, Tokyo
2017 SPEAK EASY, HPGRP Gallery, New York
2019 Delusion, OnCanal by WallPlay Gallery, New York
2020 Delusion x のぞき展, Solo photo exhibition, Book & Sons, Tokyo
2021 SEPT. 2020 NYC , SO1 Gallery, Tokyo
2021 SEPT.2020 NYC, NOWHERE, New York
Book Publication
2009 NAKED, Seigensha Art Publishing, Inc.
2016 SPEAK EASY, DAMIANI Srl
2019 Delusion , THOUSAND,Inc.
2021 SEPT. 2020 NYC, Purezine
2022 PINK SCHOOL, self-published
Advertising : American Apparel, AVEDA,Bailey Hat, COACH, Golden Goose, Jimmy Choo, KANGOL, Kenneth Cole, MIKIMOTO, MOUSSY, New Balance, NewEra, SKIN, The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas
Editorial : CERO, Document Journal, Interview, Vogue Japan