Richard Estes - Kaoru Ueda

Contrast in Photorealism

December 8 - 22, 2023

NEW AUCTION is delighted to announce "Contrast in Photorealism," an exhibition featuring Richard Estes and Kaoru Ueda, representing photorealism in both the US and Japan, from December 8th (Fri) to December 22nd (Fri).

Richard Estes (1932-) is known as a representative artist of the art movement "Photorealism" that emerged in the late 1960s in the US. Estes has predominantly depicted contemporary life through meticulous portrayals, ranging from street scenes like delis and diners to the modern architecture adorning the vast cityscape of New York.

Kaoru Ueda (1928-) has been widely recognized as a pioneer of Superrealism (Photorealism) in Japan, focusing on realistically depicting objects since the 1970s. Ueda meticulously captures momentary glimpses of everyday objects, such as a raw egg cracking and falling, jelly scooped up with a spoon, and clusters of varying-sized bubbles, presenting a visual world that surpasses recognition through the naked eye.
This era's photorealistic paintings differ from traditional realistic paintings in their use of self-taken photographs (representing reality) as visual references, meticulously and faithfully rendering intricate details across the entire artwork. However, photorealists use photographs not merely to imitate reality but to reconstruct reality with a much sharper focus than direct observation allows.

In this exhibition, we hope you will sense both the commonalities and different characteristics of works by leading photorealists representing Japan and the US from the same era. Additionally, we hope that, as individuals living in a modern era where creating paintings based on photographs is no longer unique, you can also enjoy experiencing the perspective that uniquely belongs to us.
Richard Estes - Kaoru Ueda
"Contrast in Photorealism"
December 8 - 22, 2023
B1F, 5-9-15 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo
150-0001 JAPAN
12 PM - 7 PM (Closed Saturday & Sunday)

Cooperation: Nagoya Gallery, Kamakura Gallery