Keiji Uematsu

Keiji Uematsu was born on March 26, 1947, in Kobe, Japan.1969-1991 Keiji UEMATSU (catalog of works), 1991. His father drew illustrations and lettered in the printing factory. His eldest son died shortly after birth, Keiji was the second first son grew up watching his job, and the next son Eiji later became an artist using soil as a material.

Keiji loved painting and making models, and reading the science magazine for the schoolkids also. He became interested in the wonders of science, went often to the museums of the science or the natural history. He thought he wanted to grasp the mechanism of the wonder of the earth or the space from the primitive perspective. This is related to his later artistic work.

His father did not allow him to go on to art college, so he entered the art department of the Faculty of Education, Kobe University, graduated in 1969, became a teacher of the arts and crafts at a public school.the Japanese text of interview with Keiji Uematsu, Oral History Archives of Japanese Art; http://www.oralarthistory.org/archives/uematsu_keiji/interview_01.php

While teaching at the public elementary school and the technical high school, he created his own artworks and presented Transparence - Iron at the 1st Contemporary International Sculpture Exhibition (The Hakone Open-air Museum, Kanagawa, 1969). In the same year he held his first solo exhibition at Galerie 16 in Kyoto, presented Tranceparence - H₂O. He also exhibited at the Kyoto Biennale 1972.

He was selected for Japan: Tradition und Genenwart exhibition (Städtische Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf), sent the work in 1974, October he received the 2nd Kobe City Cultural Encouragement Award. He also appeared in a small role of the famous indie film I Can't Wait Getting Dark! (directed by Kazuki Ohmori).

In September 1975 he went to West Germany for the destination of Düsseldorf, where the activities of artists are active. From December 1976 to 1977 he held the first solo exhibition in Europe Skulptur, Foto, Video, Film (Moderna Museet Stockholm, Sweden). Since then, he has presented many works at museums and galleries in Europe.

His first solo exhibition in N.Y. Installation, Axis-Latitude-Longitude was held in 1981 at P.S.1 (the annex of MoMA). He was invited by Fondation Cartier pour L'Art, and exhibited at Sculptures in Paris from 1985 to 1986 the open-air work Situation-Triangle for the first time in 14 years. After this he produced many open-air sculptures in Europe, Japan and South Korea.

He established a new base in Nishinomiya, Kobe in March 1986, since then he continued to work going back and forth between West Germany and Japan.50 years of galerie 16: 1962-2012 pp.67-74.Fotografie in Düsseldorf: die Szene im Profil, 1991. Due to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995 he lost Nishinomiya base, moved to Minoo-city of Osaka.Keiji Uematsu, Ways of Touching the Invisible - Intuition (catalog of the exhibition), 2021.

He was selected as a Japanese national artist along with Shigeo Toya and Katsura Funakoshi, for the 43rd Venice Biennale 1988, presented his work Inversion-Vertical space at the Japan Pavilion.XLIII Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte la Biennale di Venezia, Il Luogo Degli Artisti, General Catalogue 1988.The Venice Biennale: 40 Years of Japanese Participation, 1995.

In the 1990s he continued vigorous production activities. His first solo exhibition in a Japanese museum Behind the Perception was held at Otani Memorial Museum, Nishinomiya, 1997.

In 2003 at Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, he was held solo exhibition of photo works mainly Thinking about the Body and Eyes: Photos, Films from the 70's to the Present. In 2006 at Otani Memorial Museum, Nishinomiya the exhibition Keiji Uematsu, The Garden of Time was held. Even in the 21st century, he continues to hold solo exhibitions almost twice a year.

In 2013, he won the 38th Teijiro Nakahara Award for his work Cutting Axis-Longitude-Latitude. He was selected for Spotlight category of the art fair of London Frieze Masters 2014, presented the 1970's photo works and sculputures. In 2016 he exhibited his works at Tate Modern, London Performing for the Camera and solo at Simon Lee Gallery Invisible Force.

In 2021, for the first time in 15 years at the Japanese museum he presented the new works Keiji Uematsu: Ways of Touching the Invisible - Intuition at Ashiya City Museum of Art and History.

His work of sculpture or installation is a seemingly unstable structure that combines geometric volumes (cones, spirals) of stone, copper, wood, etc. "I want to express the existence of something invisible, like the universe, with a work in which the entire structure would collapse without one element."

As materials for sculptures and installation works, cloth, stone, glass, iron, stainless steel, copper, bronze, brass, lumber (mainly Douglas fir), and natural wood in their solid state are often used.

His style looks like an abstract, but what is expressed in his work is the embodiment of invisible forces such as gravity.Contemporary Japanese Sculpture, 1991, pp.82-84La Collection de la Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, 1998.Dictionnaire Bénézit, Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs, vol. 13, 1999, p. 892.

First in 1971, then in 1972, or even in 1991, he wrote: "What I want to do is to make visible existence, visible connections and visible relations appear more clearly. And to cause non-visible existence, non-visible connections and non-visible relations to appear. And to cause visible existence, visible connections and visible relations not to appear.", "What shall I now do with the world (cosmos) which denies man understanding and where these three relations comprise antinomies? Shall I find a new meaning in the world? How to shape relations between people? These are questions which deeply concern me."

These words expresses the basic concept from the earliest days of his artist's activities.Von der Natur in der Kunst, Eine Ausstellung der Wiener Festwochen, 1990.

• 1974: Photographs and Films, Gallery Cheap Thrills, Helsinki, Finland
• 1975: Galerie St. Petri, Lund, Sweden
• 1976: Photographs and Films, Gallery Cheap Thrills, Helsinki, Finland
• 1976: Moderna museet, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1977: Hetzler+Keller gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
• 1977: Situation Interval, New Reform, Aalst, Belgium
• 1977: Ausschnitte 1, Städtische Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1979: Installation, Vor Ort Arbeitsgalerie, Hamburg, Germany
• 1979: Skulptur, Foto, Heidelberger Kunstverein, Germany
• 1980: Cultuurhuis de Warande, Turnhout, Belgium
• 1980: International cultural Center, Antwerp, Belgium
• 1980: Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus+Kunstform, München, Germany
• 1980: Installation Axis-Latitude-Longitude, P.S.1, Project Studios 1, New York, USA
• 1981: Installations and Drawings, Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 1981: Skupturen-Zeichnungen-Fotos, Galerie Löhrl, Mönchengladbach, Germany
• 1982: Cathédrale Saint-Trophime d'Arles, Arles, France
• 1983: Installation, Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 1984: Centrum BeeldendeKunst Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• 1985: Project - Drawings and Installations, Galerie Löhrl, Mönchengladbach, Germany
• 1986: Installation, Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 1989: Project, Kunstraum Neuss, Germany
• 1989: Skulpturen und Zeichnungen, Galerie Kiki Maier-Hahn, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1989: Skulpturen und Zeichnungen, Galerie Löhrl, Mönchengladbach, Germany
• 1989: GeleZaal, Gent, Belgium
• 1990: Sculptures, Waβermann Galerie, München, Germany
• 1991: Dortmunder Kunstverein, Germany
• 1991: Waβermann Galerie, Köln, Germany
• 1991: Baudoin Lebon in FIAC, Grand - Palais, Paris, France
• 1992: Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 1992: Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Kraichtal, Germany
• 1993: The Breathing Space, Waβermann Galerie, München, Germany
• 1993: Skulpturen und Zeichnungen, Galerie Löhrl, Mönchengladbach, Germany
• 1994: It's Possible, Skulpturen und Zeichnungen, Stadtmuseum Siegburg, GermanyIt’s Possible, Skulpturen und Zeichnungen, 1994.
• 1995: Invisible Structure, Galerie Beatrice Wassermann, München, Germany
• 1997: Behind the Perception, Edwin-Scharff-Haus, Neu-Ulm, Germany
• 2001: Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 2003: Axis-Latitude-Longitude, Waβermann Galerie, Munchen, Germany
• 2004: Falling Water - Rising Water, Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 2005: Axis-Latitude-Longitude, Kunstlerverein Marlkasten, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 2008: Yearning for What is Floating, Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 2009: Yearning for What is Floating, Le Cafe Francais Art Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
• 2011: Baudoin Lebon (with vladimir skoda), Paris, France
• 2014: Frieze Masters: Spotlight, Regent's Park, London, UK
• 2016: Invisible Force and Seeing, Jacobihaus, Kunstlerverein Malkasten, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 2016: Invisible Force, Simon Lee Gallery, London, UK
• 2016: Seeing/Measuring/..., Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
• 2018: Invisible Force, Galerie Löhrl, Mönchengladbach, Germany
• 2019: Keiji Uematsu: Invisible Force, Simon Lee Gallery, New York, USA

File:KU1969 TransparenceH2O Galerie16.jpg|Transparence-H₂O, 1969.

File:KU1971 Cutting galerie16.jpg|Cutting, 1971.

File:KU1973 HorizontalPosition 2sheetsGelatinSilver.jpg|Horizontal position, 1973.

File:KU1980 AxisLatitudeLongitude I PS1.jpg|Axis-Latitude-Longitude, 1980.

File:KU1988 CornerPiece I-InvertionVerticalSpace.jpg|Corner piece I - Inversion vertical space, 1988.

File:KU1989 Situation-FloatingSpace Ootani.jpg|Situation - Floating space, 1989.

File:KU1999 AxisLongitudeLatitude Kuranuki.jpg|Axis-Longitude-Latitude, 1999.

File:KU2000 FloatingForm-Red 615cm Kirishima.jpg|Floating form - Red, 2000.

File:KU2003 WithATree-TouchOfSpiral AomoriCAC.jpg|With a tree - Touch of Spiral, 2003.

File:KU2007 TouchOfSpiral 800cm SuncoCollection.jpg|Touch of Spiral, 2007.

File:KU2009 Inbetween-form II PortKobe.jpg|In between - form II, 2009.

File:KU2015 FloatingForm-InvisibleAxis Arario.jpg|Floating form - Invisible axis, 2015.

File:KU2017 CuttingTriangle Nomart.jpg|Cutting triangle, 2017.

File:KU2017 FloatingStone BBPlaza.jpg|Floating stone, 2017.

File:KU2019 InvisibleAxis-HorizontalVertical Inclination Nomart.jpg|Invisible axis - Horizontal /Vertical inclination, 2019.

File:KU2021 InBetweenFriction-GiftFromCosmos Ashiya.jpg|In between friction - Gift from cosmos, 2021.

File:KU2021 InvisibleForce-AxisLongitudeLatitude Ashiya.jpg|Invisible force - Axis-Longitude-Latitude, 2021.

File:Invisible Energy-Between Heaven and Earth and Sea Installation at Ok-Noto Triennale 2023.jpg|Invisible Energy - Between Heaven and Earth and Sea, 2023.

• Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Germany
• Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany
• Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany
• Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany
• Museum Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany
• Daimler Art Collection, Berlin, Germany
• Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, Paris, France
• Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France
• Musée Reattu, Arles, France
• Maison Elsa Triolet Aragon, St-Arnoult en Yvelines, France
• LA CHAPELLE art contemporain, Clairefontaine, France
• Collection Pinault, France
• Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
• Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, The Netherlands
• Bvlgari Collection, N.Y., USA / Rome, Italy
• Museum of Modern Art, New York City, New York, USA{{Cite web|title=Keiji Uematsu|url=https://www.moma.org/artists/46315|access-date=2021-11-16|website=The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)|language=en}}
• The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=Keiji Uematsu: Skulptur Foto Video Film |publisher=Moderna Museet |location=Sweden |language= |year=1976 |page= |id= |isbn=91-7100-112-3 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=Gottfried Jäger |authorlink= |title=Fotografik - Lichtgrafik - Lichtmalerei, Bildgebende Fotografie Ursprünge, Konzepte und Spezifika einer Kunstform |publisher=DuMont Buchverlag Köln |location= |language=de |year=1988 |page= |id= |isbn=3-7701-1860-X |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=Edizioni La Biennale Realizzazione Fabbri Editori |authorlink= |title=XLIII Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte la Biennale di Venezia, Il Luogo Degli Artisti, General Catalogue 1988 |publisher= |location= |language= |year=1988 |page= |id= |isbn=88-208-0346-1 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=Wiener Festwochen, Künstlern, Leihgebern und Autoren |authorlink= |title=Von der Natur in der Kunst, Eine Ausstellung der Wiener Festwochen |publisher= |location= |language=de |year=1990 |page= |id= |isbn=3-901027-01-7 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=Helga Meister |authorlink= |title=Fotografie in Düsseldorf: die Szene im Profil |publisher=Schwann im Patmos-Verlag |location= |language=de |year=1991 |page= |id= |isbn=3-491-34227-9 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=1969-1991 Keiji UEMATSU |publisher=Nomart Editions |location= |language=japanese, en, de, fr |year=1991 |page= |id= |isbn=4-931270-03-4 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=Janet Koplos |authorlink= |title=Contemporary Japanese Sculpture |publisher=Abbeville modern art movements |location= |language= |year=1991 |page= |id= |isbn=1-55859-012-9 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=Keiji Uematsu: It's Possible, Skulpturen und Zeichnungen |publisher=Stadtmuseum Siegbulg |location= |language= |year=1994 |page= |id= |isbn=3-925551-75-1 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=The Venice Biennale: 40 Years of Japanese Participation |publisher= |location= |language= |year=1995 |page= |id= |isbn=4-620-80314-6 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemprain |authorlink= |title=La Collection de la Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain |publisher=Actes Sud |location= |language= |year=1998 |page= |id= |isbn=2-7427-1577-0 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |author=éditions Gründ |authorlink= |title=Dictionnaire Bénézit: Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs vol. 13 |publisher= |location= |language=fr |year=1999 |page= |id= |isbn=2700030230 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=From Postwar to Postmodern, Art in Japan 1945-1989: Primary Documents |publisher=MoMA |location= |language= |year=2012 |page= |id= |isbn=978-0-8223-5368-3 |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=50 years of galerie 16: 1962-2012 |publisher=galerie 16 |location=Kyoto |language= |year=2014 |page= |id= |isbn= |quote= }}
• {{Cite book |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |title=Keiji Uematsu, Ways of Touching the Invisible - Intuition |publisher=Ashiya City Museum of Art and History |location= |language= |year=2021 |page= |id= |isbn= |quote= }}

• {{Cite web |author=Oral History Archives of Japanese Art |url=http://www.oralarthistory.org/archives/uematsu_keiji/interview_01.php |title=Interview with Keiji Uematsu |date=2018-05-25 |accessdate= }}

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Category:1947 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Japanese sculptors

Category:Artists from Kobe

Category:Kobe University alumni