This large-scale retrospective showcases the life's work of Japanese photographer Masahisa Fukase, featuring original prints from the Masahisa Fukase Archives. The exhibition includes his seminal 'Ravens' series and other important photo series, publications, and documentation from the early 1960s to 1992, forming a visual biography of a radical post-war artist.
The exhibition 'Masahisa Fukase' at Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam presents a comprehensive look at the life and work of the influential Japanese photographer (1934-2012). Largely inaccessible for decades after a career-ending accident, his archives have gradually revealed a wealth of previously unseen material. This retrospective features original prints spanning from the early 1960s to 1992, highlighting key series such as the atmospheric and associative 'Ravens,' considered his masterpiece and a metaphor for his personal struggles.
The exhibition delves into Fukase's intensely personal themes, including love, life, death, and his own psyche, as explored in series like 'Kill the Pig,' 'Memories of Father,' and intimate family portraits. His later works, such as 'Private Scenes,' 'Hibi,' and 'Berobero,' document his wanderings and self-exploration in Tokyo's streets and nightlife, culminating in a series of performative self-portraits that foreshadowed the modern selfie. Created in collaboration with the Masahisa Fukase Archives and generously lent by them, the exhibition offers a remarkable visual biography of one of Japan's most experimental photographers.