Katsuhiko Matsubara

Katsuhiko Matsubara was born in 1986 in Tokyo, Japan. From 2016 to 2021 he studied painting and drawing with Prof Anselm Reyle at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg. He lives and works in Berlin.

Katsuhiko Matsubara is known for his exploration of fluid spaces, crafting landscapes that evoke internal bodily environments. His paintings radiate a dreamlike quality akin to organic ecosystems, with layers of paint imbuing a profound spiritual depth. Fascinated by the seemingly endless possibilities of oil paint, Matsubara tirelessly seeks to capture the tactile essence of nature on canvas.
“I develop my paintings like living beings,” Matsubara says. His artistic journey is intricately woven with his own personal childhood experiences in his grandparents’ garden on the outskirts of Tokyo. Surrounded by the rich tapestry of flora and fauna nurtured by his grandfather, a farmer and chrysanthemum cultivator, Matsubara's artistic sensibilities flourished in this vibrant setting. The organic hues and textural richness evident in his paintings directly echo the garden's natural elements, serving as a testament to his profound connection with the organisms and soil that shaped his formative years.
At the core of Matsubara's artwork resides the delicate interplay of spiritual and material worlds, inviting viewers to contemplate the connection between inner and outer realms. His paintings encapsulate the elusive junction where spirituality and materiality merge harmoniously. Drawing from his Japanese heritage, Matsubara's art resonates with the age-old animism and deep veneration for nature inherent in Japanese culture. Seamlessly integrating diverse influences, his work harmoniously combines traditional Japanese artistry with Western movements such as Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism. The result is a collection of works that emanate a profound spiritual bond with the natural world.
While traditional Japanese landscape paintings often depict symbolic representations of forests, mountains, and the mysterious allure of fog and mist, Matsubara transcends these conventions through his creative expression. The vibrant hues and surreal narratives within his works are imbued with the spirit of psychedelic music and culture, reflecting his connection with psychedelic ‚noise music‘, of which he actively engaged with in his earlier years in Japan. Employing a masterful interplay of delicate layers and bold impasto techniques, Matsubara orchestrates a dynamic tension within his work, evoking the gradual crescendo of chaotic 60s guitar ‚fuzz’ emerging from a silent backdrop. The interplay between macrocosm and microcosm in his works draws the viewer into a captivating vortex of color, where the boundaries between the tangible and intangible gracefully blur and fade away.