Chiyu UEMAE（1920-2018）

Chiyu Uemae was born in Kyoto prefecture, Japan in 1920. Chiyu Uemae’s career began with his involvement in the Gutai Group, which was founded by his hard-won mentor Jiro Yoshihara (the founder of the avant-garde Gutai group). In 1953, Uemae meets Yoshihara, since then, the artist takes part in every Gutai exhibition until its dissolution. Uemae, unlike many of his Gutai peers, is not known for using action as the basis of his mixed-media works.

Prior to joining the Gutai, Uemae had studied Nanga and western movements, but believes his most formative experience was an apprenticeship in Kyozome or the Kyoto style of dyeing. Because of this training, as well as a childhood immersed in non-figurative design, the practice of sewing became paramount to Uemae’s mature style. His mixed-media paintings sometimes feature textile elements, but are characteristically identified by his careful compositions comprised of fine dots or patterns. Chiyu Uemae’s wide-ranging creations from two-dimensional works which are composed of pattern accumulation by painting knives or of sensitive stitches to sculptural works made of cloth or wood or sawdust. He remains active in his 80s and 90s, still producing etchings and silkscreens.

Uemae participated in several historical Gutai exhibitions including the International Art of a New Era: Gutai and Informel exhibition; Gutai Art Exhibition in New York, Martha Jackson Gallery (1958); The Continuité et Avant-garde au Japon, International Centre of Aesthetic Research, Turin, Italy (1961); Groupe Gutai, Galerie Stadler, Paris (1965); NUL 1966 Art Exhibition, Netherlands (1966); Gutai Art Exhibition at Expo70, Osaka (1970). And recently his works were included the exhibitions; GUTAI: The Spirit of an Era, the National Art Center, Tokyo (2012); Destroying the Picture – Painting the Void 1949-1962, Los Angeles MOCA(2012); GUTAI: Splendid Playground, the Guggenheim Museum, New York(2013); Parallel Views: Italian and Japanese Art from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, The Warehouse, Dallas(2014).

 

About Gutai Art

The Gutai Art Association is an art group formed in 1954 by a group of young artists living in the Kansai region led by Yoshihara Jiro. The name “Guai” means “Concrete proves that our spirit is free”. In 1955, Yoshihara began to publish Japanese and English bilingual “Gutai” magazine. In 1956, Yoshihara published the Gutai Art Manifesto, which defined the Gutai School and expounded the brand-new connection between mind, body and matter in art. “Spirit” is considered to be unique to each person and an abstract entity, so founder Yoshihara asked the group’s members to make art that was different from the past, and that these expressions had to be abstract. He also organizes exhibitions, presenting their work in parks, on stage and in the air, hoping to inspire them to generate new ideas within existing artistic frameworks.

Gutai was widely recognized in the Western art world in the late 1950s. More recently, the National Art Center in Tokyo (2012) and the Guggenheim Museum in New York (2013) have showcased their challenging zeitgeist and creative energy for the Gutai Art and its artists.

 

上前 智祐｜Chiyu UEMAE (b.1920)

1920    Born in Kyoto Prefecture

1932-38        Apprenticed to Kyoto Dyeing orchestrator, also to banner-dyeing shop to learn the usage of resist paste. Self-educated illustrating, portrait painting, the southern school of Chinese Painting

Major Exhibitions

2023       Beijing grand opening exhibition：we love China, Beijing, China

2022       GUTAI STILL ALIVe, Karuizawa New Art Museum, Nagano, Japan

                Quadrangle, Shun art gallery, Shanghai, China

2019    Chiyu Uemae retrospective exhibition, Whitestone Gallery, Ginza Japan

2018    TEFAF TWENTY, Fergus McCaffrey, NewYork USA

2017      Gutai & The Japanese Avant-Garde: Small Painting and Drawings 1958-1996, W. Alxander, Brooklyn USA

Impasto: The Gestural and Sensuous in Japanese Abstract Paintings, SAKURADO FINE ARTS, Tokyo Japan

Gutai Spirit, H.ARTS COLLECTIVE, Singapore

2016      Gutai: Selected Small Works, Whitestone Gallery, Hong Kong China

Gallery Collection: GUTAI Group Show, Whitestone Gallery, Hong Kong China

2015      Exhibition “Chiyu Uemae- A Solitary Path”, Whitestone Gallery, Hong Kong China

Gallery Collection, Whitestone Gallery, Hong Kong China

gutai, de Sarthe Gallery, Hong Kong China

2014    Exhibition “Gutaijin in Karuizawa”, Karuizawa New Art Museum, Karuizawa Japan

2013      Exhibition “GUTAI: Splendid Playground,” at The Guggenheim Museum, NewYork USA

Chiyu Uemae Special Exhibition at The Armory Show Modern 2013, Pier 92 (Booth 454), NewYork USA

2012      Exhibition “Wind of Karuizawa” – 19 Uemae works, at Karuizawa New Art Museum, Karuizawa Japan

Exhibition “GUTAI: The Spirit of an Era,” at The National Art Center, Tokyo Japan

Exhibition “Destroying the Picture – Painting the Void: 1949-1962,” at Los Angeles MOCA, Los Angeles USA

Chiyu Uemae Special Exhibition at Los Angeles Art Platform 2012，Los Angeles USA

The Solo Exhibition “Chiyu Uemae – Jigado”, at BB Plaza Museum of Art, Kobe Japan

2011    Exhibition “Chiyu Uemae,”, Galllery LADS, Osaka Japan

2010      Exhibition “Chiyu Uemae,”, Miyazaki Prefectural Art Museum, Miyazaki Prefectural Japan

2009      Exhibition “Museum Collection 2009-1,” Tokushima Modern Art Museum, Tokushima Japan

2008      Exhibition “Gutai to Contemporary”, Gallery LADS, Osaka Japan

Exhibition “GUTAI and after”, DOKA Contemporary Arts, Tokyo Japan

Exhibition of 3 Artists, Mie Prefectural Art Museum, Mie Japan

Exhibition “Dots Talk : UEMAE Chiyu, YAMANAKA Yoshikazu, TSUBOTA Masahiko,” at Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama Japan

2007      Exhibition of New Prints, Gallery LADS, Osaka Japan

Collection of The National Museum of Art, Osaka Japan

2006    Exhibition “World of Chiyu Uemae”, CASO Museum, Osaka Japan

2005      Exhibition “Chiyu Uemae and GUTAI Art Association”, Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka Japan

2004      ‘GUTAI 1954-1972’, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Modern Art,  Kobe Japan

‘Traces: Body and Idea in Contemporary Art’, Japan National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Japan (Travelling Exhibition)

2002      Solo exhibition: Print (silkscreen), LADS Gallery, Osaka Japan

Solo exhibition: Print (etching), Gallery MAYA, Takatsuki Japan

2001      Solo exhibition of Print works, Gallery 1100, New York USA

Solo exhibition of Stitch, Civic Craft Center, Itami Japan

Solo exhibition of Print, Gallery Kuranuki, Osaka Japan

2000      Solo exhibition for the memory of “Kobekko Award: Dark-blue Ribbon Medal, Cultural Achievement Award from the Governor of Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe Japan

1999      Gutai Exhibition in Paris, Galerie Nationale du jeu de Paume, Paris France

solo exhibition, Osaka Japan (61 works went to Osaka Prefectural Public Collection after hold by the prefecture)

Solo exhibition, Maizuru Municipal Administration Memorial Museum planned,  Komei Shimizu Japan

1997    Contemporary Stitch Japan Style, Montclair State University, USA

1996      The Year of Avant-Garde Artists: Change and Continuity, Itabashi Art Museum, Tokyo Japan

1995      Publication at author’s own expense “Koritsu no Michi”, Collected works: An Independent Path

1991      Avant-Garde Japan: The Gutai Group in 1950s , Rome National Museum of Modern Art, Rome Italy

1989      Maboroshi no Yamamura Collection exhibition, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Kobe Japan

1985      The Exhibition of the Storm of Painting in 1950-60: Informel/Gutai/Cobra, The National Museum of Art, Osaka Japan

Publication at author’s own expense “Jigado”, Personal Artistic Way

1983      Solo exhibition “Ink Painting” and “Print-works”, Contemporary Art Center, Osaka Japan

1982      Solo exhibition “Oil painting and Stitch”, Contemporary Art Center, Osaka Japan

1976      Since around this year began producing stitching art Participated in Ge Exhibition, withdrew in 2002

1970    Gutai Art Exhibition, Expo’70-Midori-kan Entrance Hall,Osaka Japan

1966      Second International Art Exhibition in Lausanne, Switzerland (major work 162×130 cm was purchased)

1958      World Exhibition of New Art (given favourable comment by Mr. Michel Tapie), Gutai Art Exhibition, New York USA

1954      Participated in the formation of the Gutai Art Association (dissolved in 1972)

1953    Study under Jiro Yoshihara

1951    First Solo Exhibition

1947    Sent works to 1st Niki Group Exhibition

COLLECTIONS

Ashiya City Museum of Art & History

Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art

Osaka Contemporary Art Center

Osaka Municipal Museum of Modern Art

The National Museum of Art, Osaka

Itabashi Art Museum

Niigata Art Museum

Fukuoka Art Museum

Kitakyushu Art Museum

International Print Museum in Machida, Tokyo Municipal Administration Memorial of Maizuru City Musée d’art

modern et contemporain, Toulouse (France) The Miyagi Museum of Art

Chiba City Museum of Art

Nerima Art Museum

Yokohama Museum of Art

The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama

Old Hyogo Prefectural Office Building

Fukui Fine Art Museum

The Tokushima Modern Art Museum

The Rachofsky Collection, Dallas, Texas