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.
1920 | Born in Kyoto Prefecture |
1932-1938 | 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 |
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 |
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 |