Shoko Uemura  上村松篁

Shoko Uemura was born in Kyoto in 1902 as the first son of female artist Shoen Uemura. Growing up at her side, Shoko was naturally drawn to the artist path and was educated at Kyoto City Art and Craft School, Kyoto City University of Painting, and Suisho Nishiyama's studio. His work "Kanteigeishun" was accepted into the Tei-ten when he was a mere nineteen years old, and he continued on to brilliant success as a Japanese Kacho (flowers and birds) painter. After the war, he founded the art circle "Souzou Bijutsu (Creation Art)" (present Sougakai) with Kenji Yoshioka and Kyujin Yamamoto and took a step towards breaking out of the mold for a freer form of expression. Shoko's sensitive, graceful, and elegant Kacho-ga works display his deep love for nature and the results of his efforts to combine tradition and creativity. In 1984, he was awarded the Order of Culture that his mother was also awarded, for his artist work. This exhibition introduces 65 works tracing the transformation and development of his work throughout his life.