Daisaku Ueno

Daisaku Ueno is ceramic artist and sculptor. He was born in Hokkaido, Japan in 1970. After graduating from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tomakomai National College of Technology, he got a design job at a company producing metal monuments and objects. In 2003, in the woods of Kitahiroshima City Daiseku he set up a self-made studio and wood firing kiln (Anagama), hand-digging the clay in Hokkaido, and firing it for 6 days in a firewood ceramics called “Nanban” And presented works on a solo exhibition. In addition to ceramics, in 2007 he started making works using natural materials such as wood and bamboo. In recent years he has also created on-the-spot works made out of bamboo that are to fit the exhibition space. At the open-air sculpture exhibition, large clay works made by forming clay directly in the exhibition place and making a kiln according to it are presented and works of installations using materials around the exhibition place, works at residences in Japan and abroad. He also produces workshops at elementary schools and art college. With regards to the installation prepared to Land Art Festival 2019 he says: “When I saw this place I felt something very special because in Japan the border is only in the sea and cannot be seen. I imagined that there is Eurasia, Asia, and Japan beyond this river. The most important thing in traditional Japanese tea ceremony is to imagine the guests. To do so, the host chooses a tea bowl, flowers and other things to organize the tea room, thinking about the guests. If the border separates people, I think it is necessary to have a tea room in that place”.