From his earliest works, such as “Kill the Pig,” to his latest, there is a common theme of life and death. We notice this throughout the course of his career, as he stumbles upon tragedy to tragedy. Fukase effectively projects his emotions passionately in all of his work, making him one of the most respected Japanese photographers in history.
After his devastating separation from second marriage with Yoko Wanibe, Fukase began making trips to Hokkaido after years of not visiting. He began using alcohol excessively and spiraled into a depressive state. Fukase captured ravens that were native to his hometown; ravens are generally a sign of dark and dangerous times. This signified his isolation, depression and loss.
The theme of life and death appears again as he commemorates his family, specifically his father, in both photobooks “Family” and “Memories of Father.” There is a sense of humor depicted in his portraits. To Fukase, photography records the moments before inevitable death In the funeral family photo taken in 1987, the “instrument of death” brings his father back to life.
In 1992, Masahisa Fukase tragically fell down a flight of stairs at a bar, leaving him with permanent brain damage. This disabled him and for 20 years he lived in a care home until he passed away in 2012. The ravens had claimed his final breath.