While GUTAI being highly acclaimed in recent years, Uemae is one of the oldest witnesses of the group and its period. In contrast to Shimamoto, the charm of Uemae consists in the elaborated matières and its accumulation of introspective energies. Experiencing various jobs such as crane operator, apprentice to traditional dyeing factory in Kyoto, Uemae studies firstly Chinese “Nan-ga” as self-taught, then shifts to oil painting. In 1953, Uemae meets Yoshihara, since then, the artist takes part in every Gutai exhibition until its dissolution. His wide-ranging creation from two-dimensional works which are composed of pattern accumulation by painting knife or of sensitive stitch to sculptural works made of wood or saw dust, comes from his broad experience in his adolescence.

Collection:
Osaka Contemporary Art Center (Osaka), The Ashiya City Museum of Art & History (Hyogo), Les Abattoirs (Toulouse), The Rachofsky House (Dallas), etc.