Toshiko Okanoue burst onto the art scene in the 1950s, when she came to the attention of Shuzo Takiguchi, the leader of the Surrealism movement in Japan. Through the medium of photo collage, she fully developed her incomparable artistic talent. Influenced by the Collage Novel of Max Ernst, her increasingly expressive works reflect a distinctly feminine sensibility. The raw materials Okanoue used for the works she created — foreign news magazines such as TIME and LIFE and fashion magazines such as Vogue — were a parting gift from the post-war Allied Forces. These fragments, mementos of the society and fashion which reflect the era, emerged as a major element in the creativity of this unique artist. In recent years, the world Okanoue presented has increasingly attracted attention; she now has an international reputation and is a major influence on contemporary collage artists.

This exhibition, centered around works of photo collage held in domestic and overseas, traces the story of Okanoue’s career.  Together with associated materials from the artist’s collection, we introduce the products of a unique sensibility which breathed fresh life into the era of post-war revival.