Masahisa Fukase Japanese photographer Date of Birth: 25.02.1934 Country: Japan

Biography of Masahisa Fukase

Masahisa Fukase, a Japanese photographer, was born in 1934 in Hokkaido, Japan. His childhood coincided with the Second World War, and the post-war period in Japan was a challenging time for many. It was during this period that Fukase developed his passion for photography.

Fukase gained recognition for his work after meeting his future wife, Yōko, who became his first model and muse. However, in 1976, his wife left him, and Fukase turned his attention to photographing birds, specifically ravens. The resulting series of photographs, later compiled into the album 'The Solitude of Ravens,' captured the symbolism of the raven as a harbinger of misfortune in Japan. The images depicted ravens perched alone or in flocks, pecking at prey, lying lifeless, or swirling in dark clouds in the sky. Despite their association with sorrow and the collapse of his own family, Fukase's photographs of ravens remained remarkably beautiful. It was this 'raven' album that brought Fukase fame.

In 1978, Fukase published an album dedicated to his wife, two years after their divorce. As a respected photographer in his homeland, he later released several books, including street photography capturing the essence of Tokyo.

In his personal life, Fukase remarried, only to later divorce for a second time. In 1992, he suffered a severe head injury from a fall, rendering him completely incapacitated. For the past twenty years, Fukase has been in a hospital, in a coma, with no signs of improvement. As of 2010, he remained in a comatose state.

In 2010, Fukase's photo album, 'Karasu,' was named by the British Journal of Photography as the best photography book published between 1986 and 2009.