Ken Matsubara Japanese, 1948
Crescent Moon 月
Painting
H35 x W49 in
H88.9 x W124.46 cm
H88.9 x W124.46 cm
A23268
Further images
Matsubara depicts the sun and the moon in this pair of short, square folding screens. Light emanates from the sun’s golden halo on the left screen, reaching across space to a half-moon of white gold at the far right of the right screen. The image of the moon rests on the ocean rippling waves leading us to question if it is genuinely the moon we see or its reflection. The combination of the sun, moon, and sea recalls the life of the Buddhist monk Kūkai (774-835), who retreated to an oceanside cave as he meditated on the cycles of night, day, and sea to achieve awakening eventually. The viewer becomes part of this natural rotation sitting between the open screens.
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