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= Fukuzawa Ichirō =

Fukuzawa Ichirō was one of the most essential Japanese artist who was an essential figure to introducing French Surrealism to Japan. By constructing pieces conveying social criticism and maintain a social perspective, he treated social issues with intellectual humor in each of his pieces.

Early Years
On January 18, 1898, Fukuzawa was born as the first son of a wealthy family in a small city northwest of Tokyo, Tomioka. Fukuzawa attended Tokyo Imperial University into the literature department, however, he skipped his classes to attend sculpture classes taught by Fumio Asakura. Fumio Asakura, or the "Rodin of Japan", was a well-known Western-style Japanese sculptor and the father of modern Japanese sculpture. In 1924, Fukuzawa traveled to Paris, France to study the art of sculpting, but converted to oil-painting three years later. Influenced by the artistic style of Surrealism and the perceptions of Max Ernst, Fukuzawa's art became full of enigma and developed the ability to defy the authority of reality. Unlike traditional Surrealists, Fukuzawa was captivated by the way Surrealism ridiculed human imperfections. To gain recognition, he entered into his first art exhibition of the Dokuritsu Bijutsu Kyōkai by submitting 37 Yōga (Western-style) painting. In 1931, he returned to his homeland of Japan to ignite the interest of Surrealist among other artists. He created the Bijutsu Bunka Kyōkai, or the Art Culture Society, comprised of artists influenced by Surrealism. During this time, World War II was approaching and the idea of Japanese expansion was occurring.

World War II
In 1935, Fukuzawa visted the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo set in Manchuria. While there, he become moved by its spacious landscapes, however, he still retained his pessimistic perspective of the colonization taking place there. The production of Oxen (1936) portrays oxen against a landscape background with battered bodies, symbolizing Fukuzawa's cpmmentary to the frail attributes to Japan's expansionary conquests. Unfortunately, the Japanese government began to enforce its power against the world of art as it deemed it as treasonous as avant-gardists and Surrealists were viewed as Communists. For example, one of Fukuzawa’s works displayed a woman donning a kimono spreading flyers displaying an image of the Communist flag. Censoring the work was an attempt to soothe the anger of the government as a colleague clarified the women was simply throwing them away. In 1941, Fukuzawa was arrested along with a colleague under the suspicion of connection between Communism and Surrealism and for violation of the Peace Preservation Law and was imprisoned for seven months. Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Fukuzawa was freed and began to produce propaganda on behalf of the government for those to support the war. In 1946, he then began producing pieces against the war. Inspired by the medieval paintings of the Buddhist hell, images of Dante's Inferno, and the repetition of nude, faceless figures in desert landscapes. Between the eras of prewar and postwar, Fukuzawa's art style shifted as his interest of human imperfection was replaced with using representations to criticize human society as a mass of mindless, soulless individuals.

After The War
In March of 1945, Fukuzawa escaped with his family from the desecrated city of Tokyo to Karuizawa, Nagano following an air raid attack. After World War II, Fukuzawa produced works symbolizing the defeat of his country while establishing his creative talents and started his teaching career at the Joshibi University of Art and Design and Tama Art University. He began touring Latin America and Europe once again in 1952. In Brazil and Mexico, his style of art changed once again as it was influences by the paintings and murals decorated with colorful hues and indigenous figures. In the United States, at the height of the civil rights movement, he was fascinated by the African-American culture and photographed residents in Harlem. During his travels, his painting became less mordant and more animated, however, he never discarded his pessimistic perspective on modern society. In 1957, he was rewarded for submitting his work Burial to the 4th Japan International Art Exhibition. In 1991, he was honored with the Order of Culture, an award exclusive to Japan for one's contributions for Japan's art and culture. On October 16, 1992, Fukuzawa Ichiro passed away.