Fukuhara Shinzo, the first president of the Shiseido Corporation who laid the foundations of its corporate culture, was born in Ginza in 1883. He was the third son of Fukuhara Arinobu, who founded Shiseido as the first Western pharmacy in Japan. He became interested in painting as a child and studied Japanese-style painting with Ishii Teiko while attending primary school. After entering middle school, he developed an interest in photography. At the same time, he studied watercolor and oil painting with his school art teacher, Kobayashi Mango. After graduation from middle school he followed his father's wishes for him to study pharmacy and became qualified as a pharmacist. He also studied for four years in the United States, where he became acquainted with painter Kawashima Riichiro, who was still a student. On his way home, he traveled for one year in Europe where he met Japanese painters and visited museums. After witnessing the most exciting period of art movements in the West and its advanced urban culture, he returned to Japan in 1913.
While in Paris, Shinzo had chosen photography as his own medium of artistic expression. Even after taking the helm at Shiseido, he published five books of photographs and served as president of the Nihon Shashin Kai (Japan Photography Society), a representative group of amateur photographers. He was an excellent photographer who played an essential role in the world of Japanese photography. In his role as a business manager, he also became aware of the importance of publicity and advertising in the countries of the West. He established an advertising department in the Shiseido Company in 1916, the year that he founded the cosmetics department. Shiseido's talented designers created advertisements and product designs, making the company a leading presence in urban culture. A company gallery was established in 1919 and it still exists today. Along with exhibiting the work of many artists, the Shiseido Gallery has often been the site of avant-garde experiments.
This exhibition focuses on Fukuhara Shinzo, who was concerned with bringing true abundance and beauty suited to the times into everyday life. It shows an example of a productive relationship between business and art in the Taisho and Showa periods and gives us an opportunity to think about the relationship between art, life, and business.
While in Paris, Shinzo had chosen photography as his own medium of artistic expression. Even after taking the helm at Shiseido, he published five books of photographs and served as president of the Nihon Shashin Kai (Japan Photography Society), a representative group of amateur photographers. He was an excellent photographer who played an essential role in the world of Japanese photography. In his role as a business manager, he also became aware of the importance of publicity and advertising in the countries of the West. He established an advertising department in the Shiseido Company in 1916, the year that he founded the cosmetics department. Shiseido's talented designers created advertisements and product designs, making the company a leading presence in urban culture. A company gallery was established in 1919 and it still exists today. Along with exhibiting the work of many artists, the Shiseido Gallery has often been the site of avant-garde experiments.
This exhibition focuses on Fukuhara Shinzo, who was concerned with bringing true abundance and beauty suited to the times into everyday life. It shows an example of a productive relationship between business and art in the Taisho and Showa periods and gives us an opportunity to think about the relationship between art, life, and business.
