Born in Tokyo in 1927. She is a representative female artist of postwar Japanese Art Informel and abstract painting. In 1948, she participated in the “Modern Art Summer Seminar” and formed Toridan (later named Shichiyokai) with Shozo Kitadai, Katsuhiro Yamaguchi, and others whom she met at the seminar. In 1951, she formed the group Jikken Kobo (Experimental Workshop) with other young artists from various fields who had come together out of admiration for the poet Shuzo Takiguchi, and as a central member of the group she was mainly responsible for the art and costumes. In parallel with the activities of Jikken Kobo, which aimed to create a comprehensive art form, Fukushima created her own style of painting with molded circles and lines in the mid-1950s. In 1957, Fukushima caught the eye of Michel Tapie during his visit to Japan, and she quickly became an artist garnering attention overseas. In the 1960s, she produced the “Arc” series in black-and-brown monochrome, which is one of Fukushima’s best-known works, and in 1970 she moved on to the “Blue” series.

Following a Horizontal Course is part of the “Blue” series. Fukushima has linked the existence of water, which is always at the root of human consciousness in mythology, poetry, music, and natural science, with the color blue, and depicted a spiritual world on paper. Although seemingly simple, the multilayered composition of lines and irregular blotches creates a sense of tranquility and lyricism throughout the painting.