early life and artistic beginnings yoshio koga, also known by his birth name harue koga (古賀 春江), was a japanese avant-garde painter born in 1895 in kurume, japan. his life's trajectory is marked by an early inclination towards the arts, which would eventually lead him to become one of the first and most representative japanese surrealist painters. artistic evolution and influences koga's work is characterized by a unique blend of traditional japanese elements with the principles of surrealism. this distinctive style sets him apart from his contemporaries, making him a pivotal figure in the ev…