Photographers of Japan Vol.4 "Shoji UEDA -Locality open to the world-"
by Kotaro Iizawa (Critic and historian of Photography)
Shoji Ueda was born in 1913 at Sakai town, Saihaku district of Tottori prefecture (present Sakaiminato city), and spent his entire life in the small town located in the San-in region of western Honshu. With such fact, he can be described as a typical "rural artist". However, his works had a sense of scale and a composition uncommon to a Japanese photographer, and were regarded very highly among the world. To prove this, after his death in 2000, retrospective exhibition tours in Spain, France and Italy were very popular and the word "Ueda-cho (Ueda style)" was recognised worldwide. Looking at works Ueda named "Dune Theater", works which photographed models and objets in the Tottori sand dunes, certainly have somewhat surrealistic atmosphere.
Around 1930, when Ueda joined Yonago Photography Circle and begun his steps into the world of photography, was the time when Japanese photographers begun to shift from "artistic" photography to "Shinko" photography which used backgrounds such as modern cities. Ueda was also on this movement and his works changed rapidly from initial pictorial style to abstract composition style. In 1937 Ueda formed the photographic group "Chugoku Shashinka Shudan (Chugoku Photographer Group)" with photographers in Hiroshima and Okayama prefecture. During this period he established his style of positioning models on a wide screen, which leads to "Dune Theater".
After the world war II, Ueda begun to produce works actively. In 1947 he joined the photographic group "Ginryusha" and he also became a member of "Nikakai Shashin Bu (Nikakai Photography Club)" in 1955. Since around this time Ueda has gained reputation in Tokyo and attracted attention when he published his collection of photographs "Warabegoyomi (Children the Year Around)" from Chuou Kouronsha in 1971. This collection of photographs portrays life of children in the San-in region through seasons with a combination of a lyric and an intellect, and became one of Ueda's representative works. Also, the series "Chiisai Denki (A small biography)" which was published intermittently on the magazine "Camera Mainichi (Camera Everyday)" between 1974 to 1985 was a very experimental series, like using films dirtied and damaged from 1930s on purpose. Challenging fashion photography ("Mode in Dunes" series) in the 1980s, his enthusiasm as a photographer never seemed to decline.
Next year, 2013 is Shoji Ueda's 100th anniversary. It is certain that we are coming to a moment where, through exhibitions and publications, discover and solve the secret as to why his photographs are still so vivid and attractive today.
(Kotaro Iizawa)
Shoji UEDA
"My Wife in the Dunes III"
c.1950（Printed later）
Gelatin silver print
23.6x28.0cm
Signed
Shoji UEDA
"Dune D" from series "Mode in Dunes"
1989
Gelatin silver print
25.0x23.3cm
Signed
Shoji UEDA
"White road" from series "Warabegoyomi"
1955-1970 (Printed later)
Gelatin silver print
20.1x31.2cm
こちらの作品の見積り請求、在庫確認はこちらから
＊飯沢耕太郎先生の連載エッセイ「日本の写真家たち」第４回は植田正治です。
海外の人たちにぜひ日本の写真家を知っていただきたく、ホームページの英文版にも掲載しました（訳：新澤悠）。
＊昨日、君島彩子さんの個展が終了しました。
最終日、しょっぱなに来廊されたのは仙台のＴさん。
そして終了間際に、「TO-KI-NO ？」と陽気に叫びながら飛び込んでこられたのが、オランダからのお客様３人組。
ちょうど冷えたワインをあけてささやかなクロージングパーティをしているときでした。
以前ネットで私どもから作品をお買いになった方で、君島さんの作品はもちろん、瑛九、草間彌生、ニキ・ド・サンファルなどをご覧になっていきました。
ご来場いただいた皆さん、作品をお買い上げになったお客様には心より御礼を申し上げます。
君島さんは、13日から始まる韓国ソウルのKIAF、10月末のULTRA005にも出品参加します。
どうぞご期待ください。
by Kotaro Iizawa (Critic and historian of Photography)
Shoji Ueda was born in 1913 at Sakai town, Saihaku district of Tottori prefecture (present Sakaiminato city), and spent his entire life in the small town located in the San-in region of western Honshu. With such fact, he can be described as a typical "rural artist". However, his works had a sense of scale and a composition uncommon to a Japanese photographer, and were regarded very highly among the world. To prove this, after his death in 2000, retrospective exhibition tours in Spain, France and Italy were very popular and the word "Ueda-cho (Ueda style)" was recognised worldwide. Looking at works Ueda named "Dune Theater", works which photographed models and objets in the Tottori sand dunes, certainly have somewhat surrealistic atmosphere.
Around 1930, when Ueda joined Yonago Photography Circle and begun his steps into the world of photography, was the time when Japanese photographers begun to shift from "artistic" photography to "Shinko" photography which used backgrounds such as modern cities. Ueda was also on this movement and his works changed rapidly from initial pictorial style to abstract composition style. In 1937 Ueda formed the photographic group "Chugoku Shashinka Shudan (Chugoku Photographer Group)" with photographers in Hiroshima and Okayama prefecture. During this period he established his style of positioning models on a wide screen, which leads to "Dune Theater".
After the world war II, Ueda begun to produce works actively. In 1947 he joined the photographic group "Ginryusha" and he also became a member of "Nikakai Shashin Bu (Nikakai Photography Club)" in 1955. Since around this time Ueda has gained reputation in Tokyo and attracted attention when he published his collection of photographs "Warabegoyomi (Children the Year Around)" from Chuou Kouronsha in 1971. This collection of photographs portrays life of children in the San-in region through seasons with a combination of a lyric and an intellect, and became one of Ueda's representative works. Also, the series "Chiisai Denki (A small biography)" which was published intermittently on the magazine "Camera Mainichi (Camera Everyday)" between 1974 to 1985 was a very experimental series, like using films dirtied and damaged from 1930s on purpose. Challenging fashion photography ("Mode in Dunes" series) in the 1980s, his enthusiasm as a photographer never seemed to decline.
Next year, 2013 is Shoji Ueda's 100th anniversary. It is certain that we are coming to a moment where, through exhibitions and publications, discover and solve the secret as to why his photographs are still so vivid and attractive today.
(Kotaro Iizawa)
Shoji UEDA"My Wife in the Dunes III"
c.1950（Printed later）
Gelatin silver print
23.6x28.0cm
Signed
Shoji UEDA"Dune D" from series "Mode in Dunes"
1989
Gelatin silver print
25.0x23.3cm
Signed
Shoji UEDA"White road" from series "Warabegoyomi"
1955-1970 (Printed later)
Gelatin silver print
20.1x31.2cm
こちらの作品の見積り請求、在庫確認はこちらから
＊飯沢耕太郎先生の連載エッセイ「日本の写真家たち」第４回は植田正治です。
海外の人たちにぜひ日本の写真家を知っていただきたく、ホームページの英文版にも掲載しました（訳：新澤悠）。
＊昨日、君島彩子さんの個展が終了しました。
最終日、しょっぱなに来廊されたのは仙台のＴさん。
そして終了間際に、「TO-KI-NO ？」と陽気に叫びながら飛び込んでこられたのが、オランダからのお客様３人組。
ちょうど冷えたワインをあけてささやかなクロージングパーティをしているときでした。
以前ネットで私どもから作品をお買いになった方で、君島さんの作品はもちろん、瑛九、草間彌生、ニキ・ド・サンファルなどをご覧になっていきました。
ご来場いただいた皆さん、作品をお買い上げになったお客様には心より御礼を申し上げます。
君島さんは、13日から始まる韓国ソウルのKIAF、10月末のULTRA005にも出品参加します。
どうぞご期待ください。
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