Ambassador
Yujiro Ueno is our newest Royal Talens ambassador. His work captures the fluid interplay of matter and spirit, where creatures embody "ki" (internal energy) and engage with the world. Merging Eastern and Western traditions, his dynamic brushstrokes bring together themes of yin and yang, past and present, concrete and abstract, creating a contemporary expression that honors and reinterprets cultural legacies.
Born in 1996 in Kyoto, Japan, Yujiro Ueno earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, majoring in oil painting at Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts in 2019. He then obtained a Master's degree in Fine Arts, majoring in art theory at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2021. Yujiro has received several accolades, including the Sogyo Prize at the 69th Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation Works Exhibition, the TURNER AWARD in 2019 and 2020, and the Young Creators Award 2020 (MI Gallery Prize). In 2024, he held a solo exhibition titled “Transformed Legacy” at Kyoto Tsutaya Books Exhibition Space.
"In contrast to the Western art's significant concern with how to express existence, in the East, there has been a longstanding belief that matter and spirit are inseparable, giving rise to the idea of 'ki' (internal energy) where everything is considered fluid and mutually influential. I primarily focus on creatures, both real and imaginary, as motifs in my expression. The main themes revolve around the 'ki' they possess, their interactions with the external world, and delving into the flow of material and spiritual aspects in a more conceptual sense.
"The concept of 'ki' is closely tied to the philosophy of explaining the elements of the world through yin and yang. In my works, I incorporate contrasting concepts such as yin and yang, East and West, past and present, concrete and abstract, existence and non-existence. To express these ideas, I focus on the brushstroke as a means to liberate my own senses, employing a technique of layering them in a multifaceted manner.
"I refer to the tradition of Eastern painting, which captures the vitality of the subject through brushstrokes. While referencing the context of Western painting in terms of materials and techniques. My intention is to present a contemporary expression that inherits history and culture, merging both traditions into a new form."
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
“Production and Discussion of my art work” Tokyo University of the Arts
Macao Museum of Art / Macao
