After graduating at the top of his class with a degree in Nihonga from Tokyo University of the Arts, Matsuoka completed his doctoral degree and became an assistant professor for the same university. Building from his basis of experiences and memories gathered while doing research on a wide range of subject matter, Matsuoka paints gentle images of plants and animals against solemn backgrounds with an air of dignity. Standing still within natural scenery, lending his ear to the voices that only the silent possess, he senses life’s mysteries as faint presences and renders them with the beauty of natural mineral pigments, creating works that seem to float with an overwhelming sense of lightness and lyricism.
Profile
| Born in 1978 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Lives and works in Chiba, Japan |
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| Presently assistant professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts, and a tokutai member of Nihon Bijutsuin (The Japan Art Institute) | |
| 【Education】 | |
| 2010 | Finished Doctorate at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Department of Nihonga |
| 2007 | Received Master’s degree at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate school of Fine Arts, Department of Nihonga |
| 2005 | Graduated Tokyo University of the Arts, School of Fine Art, Major in Nihonga |
| 【Selected Solo Exhibitions】 | |
| 2024 | Minazoko ni mure Minamo ni tsudou (Tenshin Memorial Museum of Art Ibaraki, Ibaraki) |
| 2023 | Ayumu Matsuoka: Animal Story (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) |
| 2020 | Omoi ga umareru toki (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) |
| 2018 | Solo-Exhibition (Tenmaya, Okayama; Tenmaya; Hiroshima; Tenmaya,Fukuyama) Solo-Exhibition (Sogo Kobe, Hyogo) |
| 2017 | Seijaku to iu Kehai: Ayumu Matsuoka Nihonga-ten (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) |
| 2016 | Solo-Exhibition (Matsuzakaya, Aichi; Daimaru Shinsaibashi, Osaka) |
| 2014 | Seimei karano Nukumori: Ayumu Matsuoka NIhonga-ten (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) |
| 2012 | Solo-Exhibition (Sogo Kobe, Hyogo) |
| 2010 | Solo-Exhibition (Matsuzakaya Nagoya, Aichi; Matsuzakaya Ueno, Tokyo) |
| 2007 | Solo-Exhibition (Surugadai Gallry, Tokyo) Solo-Exhibition (Gallery SHINSEIDO, Tokyo) |
| 【Selected Group Exhibitions】 | |
| 2022 | Nihonga no Shinseitachi-ten (Selene Museum of Art, Toyama) Ichigo to Ichie (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) |
| 2019 | Hirayama Ikuo to Nihongaka no wakaki omoi (Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art, Yamanashi) The First Zen no kai (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) Reimagined: Contemporary Artists Take on The Tale of Genji (SEIZAN Gallery, New York) |
| 2018 | Chiisaki mono wa mina Itoshi (Nihonbashi Takashimaya, Tokyo) |
| 2015 | NIHONGA no wakaki chikara: NIHONGA no Top Runner-ten (Takasaki Tower Museum of Art, Gunma) |
| 2013 | Mukyu no kai (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo, continued every year afterward) |
| 2012 | Yume no kai (continued until 2013) San no kai (Matsuzakaya Ueno, Tokyo; Matsuzakaya Nagoya, Aichi, continued until 2018) |
| 2009 | The 18th Scholarship Recipient Art Exhibitions (The Sato Museum of Art, Tokyo) |
| 2008 | Shinju kai (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) |
| 2007 | Haru no In-ten (continued in 2013-2016) Saikouin-ten (continued in 2014, 2017, 2018) |
| 【Public Collections】 | |
| Taito-ku (Tokyo) The Museum of Modern Art Ibaraki (Ibaraki) Sato Sakura Museum (Tokyo) The Gotoh Museum (Tokyo) University of the Arts (Tokyo) Adachi Museum of Art (Tokyo) |
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| 【Publications】 | |
| 2021 | Picture book “When feelings are born” Published by Kyuryudo |
| 【Awards】 | |
| 2017 | Honorable mention at 102th Saikoin-ten (Continued in 2018) |
| 2016 | The Foreign Minister’s Commendations and Honorable mention at the 71st Haru no In-ten |
| 2014 | Honorable mention at the 69th Haru no In-ten (continued in 2015) Honorable mention and Tenshin kinen Ibaragi Award at the 99th Saikoin-ten (The Museum of Moden Art, Ibaraki, continued in 2017, 2018) Nakamura Award at the 3rd Maeda Seiton Kensho, Nakamura shogakkai |
| 2013 | Shuuki-ten Award and Ikuo Hirayama Award at the 68th Haru no In-ten |
| 2012 | Japan Rehabillitation Aid Assosiation Chairman’s Award 2013 at the Yume no kai |
| 2006 | Grand Prized at the Kachoga-ten (Shohaku Art Museum, Tokyo) |
| 2005 | Taitō-ku Award Salon de printemps Award Ikuo Hirayama Scholarship Award |
