One of the representatives of Japanese pop surrealism – Yosuke Ueno is known for his whimsical images in the trendy art scene. Recently, he collaborated with his magical characters to come to Gallery Ascend, bringing his first exhibition in Hong Kong, “Portrait of You”.
Self-taught Ueno Yosuke held his first solo exhibition at the age of 16, creating colorful creatures and cute cartoon characters. His style is deeply influenced by Japanese manga, anime characters, street graffiti, and popular imagery, resulting in works that combine Western and Japanese culture. In this exhibition, Ueno reinterprets the classic masterpieces of Picasso and Velázquez in a new way, with characters in the paintings facing the audience with innocent and pure expressions, their eyes sparkling with starlight, arousing curiosity about their experiences.
The color scheme of each piece tends to be soft and dreamy, as if leading the audience into an infinite universe or a starry fantasy. In these vibrant and colorful works, one can feel a strong positive energy. This colorful use of colors actually showcases the artist’s longing for optimism and beauty. The artist has infused passionate emotions into their creations, hoping to bring a joyful atmosphere to the viewers.
In addition to painting, Ueno is also known for his sculptures. Since 2008, his limited edition sculpture series has successfully led to collaborations with toy companies around the world, and has been appreciated by artists and collectors, successfully entering the world of trendy toys.
“Even if the world is filled with 99% darkness, I will not give up on searching for that 1% of hope and creating my art with 100% of my energy.” This is the creative attitude of an artist, and I believe everyone will be able to explore their creative passion in this collection of works.
“Portrait of You”
Date: From now until December 14th
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Location: 8th floor, Yag Hotel, 43 Fragrant Leaf Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
Image source and learn more: Gallery Ascend
