Utsusemi

January 11, 2020 – February 8, 2020

Olga Korper Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of internationally celebrated guest artist Ken Matsubara’s second solo exhibition, Utsusemi. In Japanese, the Utsusemi is the cicada shell, shed by the insect as it grows. The cicada itself is thought of as a spirit guide, aiding in personal development and transformation. The cicada represents the glorious future of reincarnation and becoming, the shell – Utsusemi – is what’s left behind.

 

Inspired by a chapter titled Utsusemi in an ancient novel The Tale of Genji, Matsubara explains his sympathy for the prince’s experience as he rushes into the bedroom of the woman he loves to find she’s run away and left behind only a silk shift on the bed. He explains that life, to him, feels as though he can only ever grasp at the surface of the thing, the shell alone, without truly grasping reality.

 

Matsubara certainly provokes the thoughtfulness of prince Genji in his most recent work. Subtle portraits UV printed on shimmering brass blend with silent videos of mysterious figures hidden inside metal singing bowls combine to give the viewer the impression that there is a secret in the next room, and we are here, grasping at silk as it slips through our fingers.

Opening Reception

January 11, 2020
2:00 pm – 5:00 am

Artist Links

Included Artworks

Utsusemi 4 2019
Utsusemi 4, 2019

Utsusemi 4, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 14 2019
Utsusemi 14, 2019

Utsusemi 14, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 25 2019
Utsusemi 25, 2019

Utsusemi 25, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 10 2019
Utsusemi 10, 2019

Utsusemi 10, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 21 2019
Utsusemi 21, 2019

Utsusemi 21, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 23 2019
Utsusemi 23, 2019

Utsusemi 23, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 11 2019
Utsusemi 11, 2019

Utsusemi 11, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 16 2019
Utsusemi 16, 2019

Utsusemi 16, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 7 2019
Utsusemi 7, 2019

Utsusemi 7, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 20 2019
Utsusemi 20, 2019

Utsusemi 20, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 28 2019
Utsusemi 28, 2019

Utsusemi 28, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 2 2019
Utsusemi 2, 2019

Utsusemi 2, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 18 2019
Utsusemi 18, 2019

Utsusemi 18, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 13 2019
Utsusemi 13, 2019

Utsusemi 13, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 24 2019
Utsusemi 24, 2019

Utsusemi 24, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 15 2019
Utsusemi 15, 2019

Utsusemi 15, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 1 2019
Utsusemi 1, 2019

Utsusemi 1, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 8 2019
Utsusemi 8, 2019

Utsusemi 8, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 33 2019
Utsusemi 33, 2019

Utsusemi 33, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 22 2019
Utsusemi 22, 2019

Utsusemi 22, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 27 2019
Utsusemi 27, 2019

Utsusemi 27, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 3 2019
Utsusemi 3, 2019

Utsusemi 3, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 32 2019
Utsusemi 32, 2019

Utsusemi 32, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 9 2019
Utsusemi 9, 2019

Utsusemi 9, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 29 2019
Utsusemi 29, 2019

Utsusemi 29, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 26 2019
Utsusemi 26, 2019

Utsusemi 26, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 19 2019
Utsusemi 19, 2019

Utsusemi 19, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 6 2019
Utsusemi 6, 2019

Utsusemi 6, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 31 2019
Utsusemi 31, 2019

Utsusemi 31, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 30 2019
Utsusemi 30, 2019

Utsusemi 30, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 12 2019
Utsusemi 12, 2019

Utsusemi 12, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 17 2019
Utsusemi 17, 2019

Utsusemi 17, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing 12.5” x 6”
Utsusemi 5 2019
Utsusemi 5, 2019

Utsusemi 5, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood, brass foil, UV printing, antique object 12.5” x 6”
Moon Bowl Loop 2019
Moon Bowl - Loop, 2019

Moon Bowl - Loop, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 15” diameter x 6.25”
Moon Bowl Kannon 2019
Moon Bowl - Kannon, 2019

Moon Bowl - Kannon, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 13.5” diameter x 5.75”
Moon Bowl Falling Bird 2019
Moon Bowl - Falling Bird, 2019

Moon Bowl - Falling Bird, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 12” diameter x 4.75”
Moon Bowl Swirl 2019
Moon Bowl - Swirl, 2019

Moon Bowl - Swirl, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 11” diameter x 4.75”
Moon Bowl Underwater Flower 2019
Moon Bowl - Underwater Flower, 2019

Moon Bowl - Underwater Flower, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 10” diameter x 4”
Moon Bowl Water Ring 2019
Moon Bowl - Water Ring, 2019

Moon Bowl - Water Ring, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 8” diameter
Moon Bowl Water Moon 2019
Moon Bowl - Water Moon, 2019

Moon Bowl - Water Moon, 2019

Ken Matsubara
singing bowl, movie loop, mixed media 6” diameter
Hou-chou Myanmer 2019
Hou-chou - Myanmar, 2019

Hou-chou - Myanmar, 2019

Ken Matsubara
wood frame, movie 8:00 minute loop, mixed media, ed. of 2 14.25” x 16.75”
Tool Box Match 2019
Tool Box - Match, 2019

Tool Box - Match, 2019

Ken Matsubara
antique box, movie 1:02:06 loop, mixed media, unique 9.25" x 10"