GALLERTY KOGURE 2-14-19 Kandajinbocho Chiyoda-ku TOKYO #101-0051
GALLERY KOGURE is holding a solo exhibition of Masao Tsuruoka, an artist who consistently focused on the human figure throughout his career. Tsuruoka’s work reflects the contradictions and irrational aspects of human nature, expressed with a balance of sharp observation and subtle humor. He stood out within the postwar Western-style painting scene in Japan for his unique approach.
Human beings naturally hold opposing qualities—reason and emotion, joy and sorrow, normality and abnormality. Rather than emphasizing one side over the other, Tsuruoka accepted these contradictions and viewed them as part of what it means to be human. Through simplified forms and playful distortions, he aimed to capture the complexity and ambiguity of people and the situations around them.
This exhibition features a selection of his pastel works. We invite you to take this opportunity to view and reflect on his perspective on humanity.
Masao Tsuruoka
1907 Born in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. 1922 Entered the Taiheiyō-Gakai Kenkyūjo (Pacific Painting Society Research Institute) and began associating with artists such as Aimitsu and Chōsaburō Inoue. 1930 Participated in the founding of the open-submission art group NOVA Art Association. 1937 Drafted into military service and sent to China; discharged in 1940. 1943 Co-founded the Shinjin Gakai (Emerging Artists Party) with Shunsuke Matsumoto and others. 1945 Lost nearly all of his earlier works in the Tokyo air raids. 1953 His painting “Heavy Hand” (1949) was exhibited at the São Paulo Biennale. 1954 Advocated for “painting things, not events” in a roundtable discussion published in a magazine. 1950s – 60s Actively participated in various exhibitions and held solo shows. 1979 A retrospective exhibition titled Post-war Western Drawings for Unique Talented Artists – Masao Tsuruoka’s Whole Story- was held at the Museum of Modern Art, Gunma. Passed away the same year.
Black Board (Pastel and collage on paper) 38×53.8cm 1962
死者を運ぶ Carrying the Dead (Pastel on paper) 36.5×52.5cm 1960
柄的人間 (Pastel on paper) 25.8×36.3cm 1966
犬を連れた人 People with Dogs (Pastel on paper) 26.5x37cm