Kosen Ohtsubo

Kosen Ohtsubo working in his studio
Ikebana artist. He has taught traditional ikebana in the Ryuseiha school while creating his own works that embody his thoughts. He uses a wide range of materials, including not only flowers but also vegetables, discarded materials, and even his own body.
Strange Callas I（1978） Kosen Ohtsubo, Ikebana artist
Strange Callas I (1978)
1/5 the Rubbish of the Ryusei Exhibition（1971） Kosen Ohtsubo, Ikebana artist
1/5 the Rubbish of the Ryusei Exhibition (1971)
Headlocked Radishes（1989） Kosen Ohtsubo, Ikebana artist
Headlocked Radishes (1989)
Botanical Man（1978） Kosen Ohtsubo, Ikebana artist
Botanical Man (1978)
Linga India（1977） Kosen Ohtsubo, Ikebana artist
Linga India (1977)
Rikka of Lotus（1993） Kosen Ohtsubo, Ikebana artist
Rikka of Lotus (1993)

Photos: Ryuseiha

Biography

Born in 1939 in Ashio, a mining town in Tochigi Prefecture.
He began studying Ikebana under Kasen Yoshimura, the third head of the Ryuseiha school, in the 1960s. Around 1970 he started presenting works in magazines and exhibitions and also began teaching.
He moved to Beijing in 2005 and returned to Japan in 2013.
He now continues to work and teach at his home studio.

Publications

1981―『Plant & Man』
1995―『現代のフラワーアーティスト4 大坪光泉』

Studio

The studio and teaching space is located in a residential area of Saitama and was designed by Hiroshi Nakao. The name “Flower Planet” reflects the wish for a peaceful world where anyone on the planet, regardless of background or circumstances, can pick up flowers and arrange them.

Studio Exterior
Flower Planet ceramic plaque
Flower Planet ceramic plaque (Made by Jun Kawaguchi)
Kosen Ohtsubo working in his studio
Ohtsubo at Work

Links

Contact
Acknowledgement: Archiving of Kosen Ohtsubo's works has been led by Christian Kōun Alborz Oldham, with support from Ryuseiha, Empty Gallery, Ensō House, Kunstverein München.