Biography

Featured throughout the world from the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum to Paris and Cologne, Matsubara’s paintings are serene, drifting, yet contained and dynamic. From intense brush strokes to delicate texture, each painting represents a return to nature, an appreciation and consideration of the earth and natural elements.

Treasuring communication with nature and our roots, Matsubara travels around the mountains and plains of the Nasu District gathering inspiration and materials of colored earth and sand to produce his paintings. His paintings reflect Matsubara’s own appreciation of nature as each piece, with ink waterfalls and silver moonlight, reflect the breathtaking anomalies of nature that we sometimes forget. 

 

1948 Born in Kamiimachi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan

1973 “The Dokuritsu Exhibition” at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Tokyo

1977 Won the Dai-ichi Bijyutsu Award at the Dai-ichi Bijyutsu Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Tokyo

1990 “Exhibition for Leading Artists of the Next Generation” at Hakone Open-Air Museum

2001 “Tochigi Prefecture 20th Century Art” at Tochigi Museum of Fine Arts

2006 “Exhibition of Ken Matsubara” toured in Paris and Cologne

2008 “Seisei Ruten (Metempsychosis) exhibition” at Museum of Modern Art, Toyama, Toyama 

Prefecture (Other numerous solo and group exhibitions. )

2019 Kūkai: Sun and Moon Ippodo Gallery 

Works
  • Ken Matsubara, 夢, 2023
    Ken Matsubara
    , 2023
    Painting
    H23 5/8 x W39 3/8 in
    H60 x W100 cm
    Framed H26 x W41 3/4 x D1 5/8 in
    額 H66 x W106 x D4 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 蛟龍 昇天, 2023
    Ken Matsubara
    蛟龍 昇天, 2023
    Painting
    H30 3/4 x W9 in
    H78 x W28 cm
    Framed H33 1/8 x W13 3/8 x D1 5/8 in
    額 H84 x W34 x D4 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 蟠龍, 2023
    Ken Matsubara
    蟠龍, 2023
    Painting
    H47 1/4 x W18 1/8 in
    H120 x W46 cm
    Framed H49 5/8 x W20 1/2 x D1 5/8 in
    額 H126 x W52 x D4 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 銀漢に游ぶ, 2023
    Ken Matsubara
    銀漢に游ぶ, 2023
    Painting
    H69 1/4 x W23 5/8 in
    H176 x W60 cm
    Framed H74 x W28 3/8 x D1 3/4 in
    額 H188 x W72 x D4.5 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 青龍, 2023
    Ken Matsubara
    青龍, 2023
    Painting
    H11 3/4 x W36 1/4 in
    H30 x W92 cm
    Framed H17 3/8 x W39 3/8 x D1 1/8 in
    額 H44 x W100 x D3 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 風雷双龍, 2023
    Ken Matsubara
    風雷双龍, 2023
    Painting
    Folding Screen H70 7/8 x W189 in
    2曲1双屏風 H180 x W480 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 月聲
    Ken Matsubara
    月聲
    Painting
    H28 3/4 x W39 3/8 in
    H73 x W100 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 登龍
    Ken Matsubara
    登龍
    Painting
    Scroll H63 x W18 7/8 in
    軸H160 x W48 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 花筏 II
    Ken Matsubara
    花筏 II
    Painting
    H27 1/8 x W24 1/4 x D1 5/8 in
    H69 x W61.5 x D4 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 花筏 Ⅰ
    Ken Matsubara
    花筏 Ⅰ
    Painting
    H27 1/8 x W24 1/4 x D1 5/8 in
    H69 x W61.5 x D4 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 青龍(額・炉縁)
    Ken Matsubara
    青龍(額・炉縁)
    Painting
  • Ken Matsubara, 曙光
    Ken Matsubara
    曙光
    Painting
    H24 3/4 x W55 7/8 in
    H63 x W142 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 藤
    Ken Matsubara
    Painting
    H46 1/2 x W18 7/8 in
    H118 x W48 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 千代木
    Ken Matsubara
    千代木
    Painting
    H46 1/2 x W18 7/8 in
    H118 x W48 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 檜槇
    Ken Matsubara
    檜槇
    Painting
    H28 3/4 x W16 7/8 in
    H73 x W43 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 立葵
    Ken Matsubara
    立葵
    Painting
    H28 3/4 x W16 7/8 in
    H73 x W43 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 常磐松
    Ken Matsubara
    常磐松
    Painting
    H36 1/4 x W15 3/4 in
    H92 x W40 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, Crescent 朏
    Ken Matsubara
    Crescent 朏
    Paint
    H20 7/8 x W28 3/4 in
    H53 x W73 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, Moon Wave 月濤
    Ken Matsubara
    Moon Wave 月濤
    Paint
    H28 3/4 x W28 3/4 in
    H73 x W73 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 円
    Ken Matsubara
    Painting
    H27 1/2 x W31 1/2 in
    H70 x W80 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 景 '15・03-2
    Ken Matsubara
    景 '15・03-2
    Painting
    H26 x W39 3/8 in
    H66 x W100 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 藤花図屏風(二曲一双), 2021
    Ken Matsubara
    藤花図屏風(二曲一双), 2021
    Painting
    H69 1/4 x W66 1/8 in
    半双 H176 x W168 cm
    Sold
  • Ken Matsubara, 藤花図屏風(下絵), 2021
    Ken Matsubara
    藤花図屏風(下絵), 2021
    Painting
    H22 7/8 x W47 1/4 in
    H58 x W120 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 藤 ・六幅 -4, 2021
    Ken Matsubara
    藤 ・六幅 -4, 2021
    Painting
    Each H46 1/2 x W18 7/8 in
    各 H118 x W48 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 水景, 2018
    Ken Matsubara
    水景, 2018
    Painting
  • Ken Matsubara, 水景 , 2018
    Ken Matsubara
    水景 , 2018
    Painting
    H72 x W60cm 額 H75 x W63cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 水景 '20・8-01
    Ken Matsubara
    水景 '20・8-01
    Painting
    H35 7/8 x W28 3/4 in
    H91 x W73 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, TAMAYURA '20.3-09, 2020
    Ken Matsubara
    TAMAYURA '20.3-09, 2020
    Painting
    H15 x W8 1/4 in
    H38 x W21 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 濤(Ⅰ), 2020
    Ken Matsubara
    濤(Ⅰ), 2020
    Painting
    H11 3/4 x W11 3/4 in
    H30 x W30 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, Waves Crashing II 瀾
    Ken Matsubara
    Waves Crashing II 瀾
    Paint
    H17 3/4 x W17 3/4 in
    H45 x W45 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, Waves Crashing III 瀾
    Ken Matsubara
    Waves Crashing III 瀾
    Paint
    H17 3/4 x W17 3/4 in
    H45 x W45 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 瀾(Ⅰ), 2020
    Ken Matsubara
    瀾(Ⅰ), 2020
    Painting
    H11 3/4 x W11 3/4 in
    H30 x W30 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 地聲(Ⅰ)
    Ken Matsubara
    地聲(Ⅰ)
    Painting
    H31 1/4 x W10 1/4 x D5/8 in
    H79.5 x W26 x D1.5cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 地聲(Ⅲ)
    Ken Matsubara
    地聲(Ⅲ)
    Painting
    H31 1/4 x W10 1/4 x D5/8 in
    H79.5 x W26 x D1.5cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 地聲(Ⅳ)
    Ken Matsubara
    地聲(Ⅳ)
    Painting
    H31 1/4 x W10 1/4 x D5/8 in
    H79.5 x W26 x D1.5cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 「円 '23.1-03」
    Ken Matsubara
    「円 '23.1-03」
    Painting
    H21 1/4 x W24 3/4 in
    H54 x W63 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 昃
    Ken Matsubara
    Painting
    H48 5/8 x W29 x D1 3/8 in
    H123.5 x W73.5 x D3.5 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 朏
    Ken Matsubara
    Painting
    H20 7/8 x W28 3/4 in
    H53 x W73 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 蓮「散華 Ⅱ」
    Ken Matsubara
    蓮「散華 Ⅱ」
    Painting
    Framed H20 x W20 in
    額 H50.8 x W50.8 cm
  • Ken Matsubara, 蓮「散華 Ⅲ」
    Ken Matsubara
    蓮「散華 Ⅲ」
    Painting
    Framed H20 x W20 in
    額 H50.8 x W50.8 cm
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