Free Artists Association

An art group for painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Founded in February 1937 (Showa 12) by nine artists who were considered avant-garde or abstract at the time, including Hasegawa Saburo, Hamaguchi Yozo, Murai Masanari, Yabashi Rokuro, and Yamaguchi Kaoru, with the aim of promoting full-scale avant-garde art. The group held its first public exhibition in July of the same year, with the aim of "opening up the art scene widely based on a pure artistic spirit and free expression." In 1940, the group faced interference from the authorities during the wartime regime and changed its name to the Art Creation Association, but reverted to its former name in 1946 (Showa 21) after the war. In 1950, Murai, Yamaguchi and others left to found the Modern Art Association, and in 1964, 38 members including Aso Saburo, Terada Masaaki, and Mori Yoshio left to form the Shudaika Art Association. The group has seen many divisions and changes, but in the same year it changed its name to the Jiyu Art Association and has continued to hold an open exhibition every October to this day.

[Eriko Saeki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

絵画、彫刻、版画の美術団体。1937年（昭和12）2月、当時前衛派ないし抽象派と目されていた長谷川(はせがわ)三郎、浜口陽三、村井正誠(まさなり)、矢橋六郎、山口薫ら9名が、本格的前衛芸術の推進を目的として結成。「純粋芸術精神と自由な発言形式のもとに広く芸術の場を開放しよう」との主旨で、同年7月第1回公募展を開催した。その後40年、戦時体制下で当局の干渉にあい、美術創作協会と改称したが、戦後の46年（昭和21）旧名に復帰した。50年に村井、山口らが離脱してモダンアート協会を創立、また64年には麻生(あそう)三郎、寺田政明(まさあき)、森芳雄(よしお)ら38名が脱退、主体美術協会を結成するなど分裂変遷が激しいが、同年より自由美術協会と改称、毎年10月公募展を開催し現在に至っている。

［佐伯英里子］

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