Masahiko Kuwahara was born in Tokyo, Japan, and was a significant figure in contemporary Japanese art. From the late 1990s, his work focused on the impact of human desire on the environment, exploring themes of evolution, efficiency, mass production, and pollution through depictions of animals and landscapes. His worlds are simultaneously despairing and paradisiacal, reflecting the complexity and contradictions of human longing. Kuwahara often employed soft and luminous colors to highlight the subtle absurdity and oddness found in everyday life, creating works that are both poetic and thought-provoking.

Kuwahara held numerous solo exhibitions, mainly with Tomio Koyama Gallery, including Abandoned Child (1997), At the End of Summer (2007), and Heavenly Peach (2020). He also exhibited at the Richard Heller Gallery in Santa Monica, USA. His works were included in major international group exhibitions such as TOKYO POP (Hiratsuka Museum of Art, 1996), POPjack: Warhol to Murakami (Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 2002), and Japan Pop (Helsinki City Art Museum, 2005). His works are held in prominent collections, including the Flowerman Collection, Olbricht Collection, and Toyota Art Collection.

Through his exploration of the hidden oddness within daily life, Kuwahara offered incisive commentary on modern society and human nature. His works combine visual beauty with philosophical reflection, securing his place as an important figure in the international contemporary art scene.