Uemae Chiyu

signed in Japanese and dated 1965, 1966 on the reverse, framed

Lads Gallery, Osaka
Private Asian Collection
Acquired by the present owner from the above

This work is generally in good condition. Upon close examination, there are hairline colour separations mostly along the edges and occasionally at the centre. Having examined the work under ultraviolet light, there appears to be no evidence of restoration.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This work is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity issued by LADS Gallery

Art as Life

The revival of the post-war Japanese avant garde movement, Gutai, has gained incredible momentum in the past five years, with many previously unknown and undervalued artists finally given the attention they deserve. Among the supreme names of this stellar group are ones such as the leader, Yoshihara Jiro; the "foot painting" artist Shiraga Kazuo; the Electric Dress-donning Tanaka Atsuko; the bottle-throwing Shimamoto Shozo; and the water-dripping Motonaga Sadamasa. It is easy for an outsider unfamiliar with Gutai to thus believe that Gutai is inextricably tied solely with performance or action-filled art work. However, this is far from the case. Presented in the present sale is a work by important founding member Uemae Chiyu, who has until present day been on the periphery of Gutai discussions.

Uemae Chiyu was a founding member of Gutai, who sought guidance in the early fifties from Yoshihara Jiro even before the group was formed. He would remain in the group throughout its entire course, and was a gifted member who has often been overlooked despite his talent and devotion to Gutai. Michel Tapié, who was an art critic and historian instrumental in the dissemination of Gutai in the West, has even purportedly been fascinated by the artist's work, hanging a monochromatic red work of Uemae's between Yves Klein and Jean-Paul Riopelle pieces in "International Art of a New Era: Informel and Gutai", held at the Takashimaya Osaka department store in 1958.

Each of the artist's works is founded upon action and labour, and relies on an intensive period of creation. Coming from a childhood of crippling poverty, the artist worked as a manual laborer as a young child; this sense of physical labour no doubt translated itself into his oeuvre. As can be seen in the present Untitled (Lot 715), his abstract works are covered by multi-layers of patterns reminiscent of the pointillist movement, and are filled with great profundity. Various levels of dots are methodically added onto the canvas, to create an effect that is psychedelic and gripping. The importance of materiality—which Yoshihara championed as the most important aspect of artistic creation, which every artist must first connect with in order to create meaningful work—is also at the heart of each of Uemae's work. Each inherent dot on his canvases has been placed meticulously to create mesmerising works.

Uemae once lamented his fear that art could not be his livelihood: "I have no choice but to work in order to feed myself. But my life will be saved by painting." And yet, each of his works are filled with a deeply engrained sense of devotion. Painted during the middle of the Gutai period, Untitled is a work that is profoundly organic and reflective of the artist's diligent and disciplined application and skill. Although Uemae has not yet achieved star status as his Gutai counterparts, it is not surprising that his oeuvre has already gained much interest, with his works included in various important exhibitions, notably, "GUTAI: Splendid Playground" at the Guggenheim Museum in 2013.